Field Museum of Natural History bulletin

FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY BULLETIN

January 1986

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Family Feature: "Me and My Shadow"

Saturday and Sunday
January 25 & 26

Field Museum
of Natural History
Bulletin

Published by

Field Museum of Natural History

Founded 1893

President: Willard L. Boyd

Editor: David M. Walsten
Production Liaison: Pamela Stearns
Staff Photographer: Ron Testa

CONTENTS

January 1986
Volume 57, Number 1

January Events at Field Museum

The Legacy of Carl Akeley

by David M. Walsten

Field Museum Tours

26

Board of Trustees

James J. O'Connor,

Chairman
Mrs. T. Stanton Armour
George R. Baker
Robert O. Bass
Gordon Bent
Mrs. Philip D. Block III
Willard L. Boyd
Henry T. Chandler
Worley H. Clark
Frank W. Considine
Stanton R. Cook
William R. Dickinson, Jr.
Thomas E. Donnelley II
Thomas J. Eyerman
Marshall Field
Ronald J. Gidwitz
Clarence E. "Red" Johnson
Richard M. Jones
John James Kinsella
Hugo J. Melvoin
Leo F. Mullin
Earl L. Neal
Robert A. Pritzker
James H. Ransom
John S. Runnells
Patrick G. Ryan
William L. Searle
Robert H. Strotz
Mrs. Theodore D. Tieken
E. Leland Webber
Blaine J. Yarrington

Life Trustees

Harry O. Bercher
Bowen Blair
Mrs. Edwin J. DeCosta
Clifford C. Gregg
William V. Kahler
William H. Mitchell
Edward Byron Smith
John W. Sullivan
J. Howard Wood

COVER

Head of Neanderthal man, sculpted by Joseph B. Krstolkh, a Field Museum
artist from 1941 to 1972. His five Neanderthal figures, now to be seen in one of
the eight dioramas in the Hall of Prehistoric People, were completed in 1972 and
replaced Neanderthal figures done four decades earlier. Krstolkh 's reconstruc-
tions were based on new information about the appearance of these people, who
survived until 35,000 years ago. Krstolkh is also to be seen on pages 15 and 18.

Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin (USPS 898-940) is published monthly, except combined July/August issue, by Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive. Chicago, IL 60605-2496. Subscriptions: $6.00 annually.
$3.00 for schools. Museum membership includes Bulletin subscription. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policy of Field Museum. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. Museum phone: (312)
922-9410. Notification of address change should include address label and be sent to Membership Department. Postmaster: Please send form 3579 to Field Museum of Natural History. Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive. Chicago. IL 60605-2496.
ISSN:0015-0703.

T

Events

Chinese shadow puppets A45706

Family Feature
Me and My Shadow

Saturday and Sunday, January 25 and 26
l:00-3:00pm

Shadow Puppets have been delighting audiences for
more than 2,000 years. No one is sure where this
art form started, but different styles of puppets can
be found in China, Turkey, Indonesia, Egypt, India,
and Africa. Watch a Chinese style shadow puppet
play and make a puppet that you can use on our
special puppet stage. "The White Snake Lady," a
film of an ancient Chinese tale, will be screened for
all participants.

Winter Fun 1986

Drive Away Winter Doldrums! Treat your children
(or grandchildren) to weekend workshops at Field
Museum. Workshops begin January 18 through
February 2. Children ages 4- 1 3 can participate in
classes that range in topic from bears, birds, and
arctic whales, to the fascinating cultures of the
Pawnee and Hopi Indians.

Highlights of workshops being offered this
year are Thunder Lizard and Tyrant King — age 4
and age 5, Indian Tea Party — ages 6-7, Dragons and
Unicorns — ages 6-7 and 8-9, and Bones, Bones,
Bones — ages 10-13.

Anthropologists, paleontologists, botanists,
artists, and writers bring their creative energies and
expertise to this winter's workshops. Advance
registration required. See the Winter Fun brochure
for a complete schedule or call 322-8854, Monday-
Friday, 9:00am-4:00pm for further information.

CONTINUED ■

Events

January Weekend Programs Mi7X

Each Saturday and Sunday you are invited to explore the world of natural history at Field Museum. Free tours,
demonstrations, and films related to ongoing exhibits at the Museum are designed for families and adults. Listed
below are only a few of the numerous activities each weekend. Check the Weekend Passport upon arrival for the
complete schedule and program locations. The programs are partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts
Council.

January

5 12:30pm. Museum Safari (tour). Seek out big

game from Africa and mummies from ancient
Egypt as you travel through Field Museum
exhibits.

11 11 :00am. Ancient Egypt (tour). Explore the tradi-
tions of ancient Egypt from everyday life to myths
and mummies.

12 1 :00pm. Welcome to the Field (tour). Enjoy a sam-
pling of our most significant exhibits as you
explore the scope of Field Museum.

19 12:30pm. Museum Safari (tour). Seek out big
game from Africa and mummies from ancient
Egypt as you travel through Field Museum
exhibits.

19 1:00pm. Red Land/Black Land (tour). Examine
the geography of the Nile Valley, and its effect on
the Egyptians who lived and ruled during 4,000
years of change in religion and culture.

These public programs are free with museum admission and tickets not required.

\.

The Legacy of Carl Akeley

by David M. Walsten

I

n 1909 Carl Akeley finished mounting the pair of bull
elephants in Stanley Field Hall which have come to be
recognized as the Field Museum's emblem. He was 45
years old, had served Field Museum as chief taxidermist
for nearly fourteen years, and was
widely known for his innovations
in taxidermy and diorama design.

Now the American Museum
came to Akeley with an invitation
to collect a similar elephant group
for them and prepare the animals
for display in their African Hall.
Akeley accepted the offer, and for
the remaining seventeen years of
his life he served the American
Museum as collector of speci-
mens, taxidermist, and sculptor.

Though Akeley's departure
must have been a difficult loss for
the Field Museum, he left behind
a cadre of talented proteges who
were prepared to carry on his
traditions. He had introduced the
idea of lifelike poses for animals
and had devised better tech-
niques for mounting them and
preserving their skins. He in-
vented a so-called wax-leaf pro-
cess for creating scientifically
accurate, realistic foliage and had
been the first to add painted back-
grounds for habitat groups. Total
verisimilitude was his goal, and his new dioramas were,
in a word, revolutionary. In 1926, just two days before
his death in the Belgian Congo, the Field Museum trus-
tees acknowledged his contributions by electing him as a
patron, an honor then accorded persons who had ren-
dered "eminent service" to the institution.

Carl Akeley was also a highly skilled sculptor; his
three bronze life-size castings of native lion hunters and
their prey, completed in 1925, may be seen in the African
Mammals Hall. (A duplicate set of these bronzes is on

*Those artists who have created the Museum's murals and painted
backgrounds for dioramas will be the subject of an article in a future
issue of the Bulletin.

Carl Akeley with his second wife, Mary (1926) soms

view in the American Museum of Natural History.)
Among Akeley's other sculptures are a dynamic study of
three elephants, "The Wounded Comrade" (1913); a
life-size bust of a gorilla, "The Old Man of Mikeno"
(1923); man emerging from an
ape's body — representing man's
creation, "Chrysalis" (1924); and
a study of a bull elephant, "At
Bay" (1925).

Some five decades after
Akeley's departure from Field
Museum, activities in taxidermy,
plant modeling, and diorama
construction gradually wound
down, then ceased almost en-
tirely; for by then, exhibit space in
the halls and galleries was
essentially filled. But during that
half-century of post-Akeley
activity — the golden age of the
diorama — his ideals and standards
prevailed. A roster of taxidermists
and model-makers who served
during that period includes some
of the most skilled of their time.
Several developed their own
innovations or were able to
improve on Akeley's techniques
with new materials provided by
the chemical and plastics indus-
tries. The 1935 International
Exhibition of Taxidermic Art,
sponsored by the American Association of Museums, in-
cluded among eighty exhibitors the work of eight Field
Museum taxidermists: C.J. Albrecht, Julius Friesser,
Ashley Hine, Frank Letl, John W. Moyer, Leon Pray,
Arthur G. Rueckert, and Leon L. Walters. The following
pages offer glimpses of these artist-craftsmen, their col-
leagues, and proteges. Accompanying them are sculp-
tors whose work has added another aesthetic dimension
to the natural history exhibits.*

The author thanks the following staff members for assistance in
researching photos and other archival materials for this article: Mar-
cia Carr, Security and Visitor Services; Nina Cummings, Division of
Photography; Mary Ann Johnson, archivist; and Alfreida Rehling,
Department of Botany.

Taxidermy, Animal Models

*Bird taxidermist Ashley Hine, on the staff
from 1922 to 1935, not only prepared a large
number of exhibits but participated in several
expeditions. Z51273

Taxidermist-sculptor-modelmaker Leon Pray
(1882-1975, FM1901-1948) served on the
Field Museum staff for close to half a century,
beginning as a protege of Carl Akeley. At
right (1948) he works on his model of the
prehistoric mesembriornis, or "terror bird. "
Below, he prepares models for a fish exhibit.
Zoology Department Secretary Margaret J.
Bauer appears to be sketching one of the

fish mOdelS. Z841B.ZB3025A

- • « J t*l

m * a ^t -;

Sculpture

Sculptor John G. Prasuhn
(1877-?, FM1920-1932)
working on mannequin of
Dayak warrior, ca. 1922.

Sculpture

Sculptor Frederick A.
Blaschke putting
finishing touches on
his reconstruction of
a Neolithic sun-
worshipper, now on
view in the Hall of Pre-
historic People. Photo
ca. 1932. Blaschke
did all the original
figures in the eight
dioramas of this hall.
(Five Neanderthal fi-
gures were redone in
1972 after more was
learned about the
structure of their bod-
ies.) Blaschke also
did the mesohippus
(1930) and titanothere
(1931) restorations
now to be seen in
Dinosaur Hall diora-
mas. Blaschke was
not a Field Museum
staff member, but
was commissioned to
do the work at his stu-
dio in Cold
Spring-on-Hudson,
New York, vum

Taxidermy

Taxidermist W. E. Eigsti (1903-?, FM1938-
1946) mounts specimen of the rare South
American rodent, Dinomys (1939). zame

Taxidermist Julius Fnesser (1873-1958.
FM1905-1948) shown at work in 1929 Fries-
ser made a collecting trip to Mexico for the
Museum in 1902. subsequently joining the
staff. During his 44-year career at Field
Museum he mounted more than 200 large
mammals. He also collected animals during
expeditions to the Olympic Mountains (elk
group). Alaska (moose group). British
Columbia (Rocky Mountain goats), and
Guadalupe Island (sea elephants), zimso

9

Sculpture

10

.

World-renowned Malvina Hoffman (1885-
1966) was commissioned to do one of the
most ambitious sculpture groups in the
history of art — "The Races of Man " — for the
Field Museum in the early 1930s. The
Museum had at first planned to hire several
sculptors to create in bronze racial types
from around the world. But Hoffman con-
vinced the Museum that several sculptors
together could not produce a consistent,
balanced exhibit. Her bronzes went on view
in the Hall of Man (now the Hall of Past,
Present, and Future) on June 6, 1933, and
remained there until 1967. A selection of her
finer pieces continue to be on view at
various locations in the Museum today.

Above, she poses in the garden of her
Paris studio with Stanley Field, president of
Field Museum 1908-1964. At left, Hoffman's
studio assistants Jean Limet (left) and his
father are shown with studies of some of the
bronzes. Both photos ca. 1932. Aeo305.A82962

Taxidermy, Animal Models

A Works Progress Administration (WPA) worker, believed to be Frank
Gino, preparing dodo model, ca. 1938. Four WPA taxidermists pre-
pared bird exhibits for the Department of Zoology in that year, zeowe

Albert J. Franzen (1901-1957, FM1927-1957) served for many years

as a preparator and taxidermist for the Harris Extension. Here

he prepares materials for one of the department's many portable

exhibits, loaned to local schools. HE78686i

11

Taxidermy

12

T Arthur George Rueckert (1891-1948,
FM 1923-1948), right, confers with Wil-
fred H. Osgood, former chief curator of
Zoology, about construction of walrus
group. A man of many talents, Rueck-
ert began his career at Field Museum
as taxidermist-preparator for the N. W.
Harris Extension, working on portable
exhibits. Later he painted diorama
backgrounds, particularly after the
death of artist Charles Abel Corwin, in
1938. Rueckert also accompanied
several expeditions as collector, not-
ably the Second Rawson-MacMillan
Sub-Arctic Expedition of 1927-28. zb33os

Arthur G. Rueckert (left) and C. John
Albrecht (1891-1978. FM1926-1945).
also a taxidermist. Albrecht's most not-
able achievement was perhaps the
African Water Hole, in the African
Mammals Hall. At the time of its com-
pletion (1932), it was believed to be the
largest grouping of mounted animals in
existence; six species and twenty-
three animals are in the group.
Albrecht was also accomplished as
sculptor, photographer, and lecturer,
and he participated in 32 collecting ex-
peditions or field trips. Among his
sculptures is that of Bushman, the
gorilla, now on view at the Adventurer's
Club in Chicago. Z83W6

Animal and Plant Models

Frank Lett (1905-?. FM1938-1944).
right, explains tadpole exhibit to
group of school children (1941).
Letl worked principally on animal
and plant models and on other
diorama accessories. Z81598

Frank C. Wonder (1903-1963.
FM1926-1954) prepares tree
model for tapir exhibit. Wonder
assisted with a great many large
mammal preparations and partici-
pated as a collector on a number
of expeditions, notably the Crane
Pacific Expedition of 1928-29

Z864141

13

Taxidermy, Animal Models

14

James E. Trolt (FM1946-1949) prepares model tor
mosquito exhibit. Z84513A

Taxidermy

The "Rebirth" of Bushman. Following the death of Bushman, Lincoln
Park Zoo's celebrated gorilla, Field Museum artists and taxidermists
set out to immortalize him in a lifelike restoration. In 1951, sculptor
Joseph B. Krstolich. and taxidermists Leon L. Walters and Frank C.
Wonder accomplished this with supreme skill. Krstolich (upper left)
sculpts the basic body frame and pose; Wonder (upper right) re-

moves plaster cast; Walters ' (lower left) works on head; Wonder and
Walters (lower right) do finishing touches. No technique other than
Walters' own cellulose acetate method could have made the hairless
face, with its translucent fleshy skin, so lifelike; the gorilla 's arresting
expression of repose and almost arrogant indifference to his multi-
tude of viewers has been brilliantly captured. Z84927 Z84989 Z84949 zssoos

15

Taxidermy

«- Leon L. Walters (left) and
Ronald J. "Pete" Lambert
(FM1946-1980) with newly
completed cellulose ace-
tate model of Galapagos
turtle (1947), prepared by
Walters and Julius Fnes-
ser. This model was based
on a live specimen
obtained on Indefatigable
Island. Galapagos Group,
by the Crane Pacific
Expedition in 1929. za3408

16

John W. Moyer (FM1929-1970), left.

shown with WPA assistant in 1938 as

they prepare large bird mount. Moyer

was a taxidermist from 1929 until 1947

(with time out for military service); later

he was in charge of the Museum 's

Motion Picture Division, zacraei

Taxidermy, Animal Models

17

Taxidermy, Animal Models

Taxidermist Carl W. Cotton (1918-1971,
FM1947-1971) puts final touches on
monkey.

18

Animal Models

Maidi Wiebe Liebhardt
(FM1951-1962), shown in
1958 applying color to a
shark model, prepared
exhibits for the Department
of Geology. G82021

Tibor Perenyi (FM1962-1978), of the
Department of Exhibition, shown in
1964 as he prepared model of the so-
called "Tully Monster. " Now retired,
he lives in Vienna, Austria, where he
continues his activities as sculptor.
(Perenyi 's bust of the late Eugene S.
Richardson, Jr., former curator of
invertebrate paleontology, appeared in
the May, 1983 Bulletin, p. 6.) G82829

19

Taxidermy

20

^Taxidermist Ernst A. Gramatzki

(FM1972-1973) works on jaguar,

the last large mammal to be

mounted at Field Museum.

<- Richard Berndt, Field
Museum's last full-time taxider-
mist (1972-1976), prepares a
bird group.

Sculpture

Martin Wanserski
(FM1972-1975), Depart-
ment of Exhibition
sculptor, works on fi-
gures of man and lion
for the exhibit "Man in
His Environment. "
opened in 1975.

Robin Faulkner, who joined the Department of Exhibition as an artist
in 1985. poses with her new sculpture. The piece is now on view in
an exhibit depicting field work in the coastal deserts of Peru. The
exhibit is in the second-floor hall, "Past, Present and Future. " Photo
bySonia Fonseca. bsws

21

Plant Models

Milton Copulos (1881-1965,
FM1910-1952) shown with his
plant model creations. The upper
left photo is ca. 1920, the others
ca. 1950.

22

Plant Models

1 David Henner (1898-1925,

FM1917-1925) shown working on

plant model in 1924. The 1925

Annual Report observed: "(A

model) of the Victoria regia was

the last of the many creditable

pieces of work produced by

David Henner, before his untimely

death by accidental drowning

while swimming at the Dunes. ..."

N50956

JohnR. Millar (1899-1977,
FM1918-1968) was hired as a pre-
parator in the Department of
Botany. Shortly thereafter he
spent several months at the
USDA Plant Introduction Labora-
tory in Miami, Florida, where he
collected material and made
models for the Stanley Field
Collection of Plant Models. He
later accompanied expeditions to
British Guiana (1922), Brazil
(1926), and Nova Scotia 's Bay of
Fundy(1938). In 1937 Millar be-
came curator of the N. W. Harris
Public School Extension. In 1946
he was named deputy director of
the Museum and in 1960 became
chief curator of Botany. As well as
model-making, Millar participated
in the creation of dioramas, not-
ably that of intertidal vegetation
(case 78), in Plants of the World
Hall, which drew upon his
observations on the
Nova Scotia coast, mssu

23

Plant Models

Frank Boryca (FM1 947-1 972),
left, and Emit Sella (1898-1965,
FM1938-1961) shown in 1947
while making plastic leaf mod-
els with hydraulic press. Large
leaves, such as those of cab-
bage, were made of wax in
plaster molds. Smaller leaves
were made of plastic in metal
dies. Boryca was a preparator
in the Department of Botany,
Sella 's position was curator of
exhibits for Botany. bso328

24

Emit Sella, in 1950s, working on model of
welwitschia. plant from southwestern Africa.

B80027B

Plant Models

Right and below: Samuel H. Grove, Jr.

(FM1947-1975) began as an assistant in the

Plant Reproduction Laboratory; later he was

an artist for the Department of Exhibition.

25

Tours For Members

26

Yucatan Discovery Cruise

January 19-26

A team of specialists will take you through the incredible ruins of the
Yucatan, built by the highly cultured Mayan peoples between the 3rd and
1 3th centuries A.D. cruising aboard the Greek-staffed Stella Solaris, we will
visit Playa Del Carmen, Uxmal, Tulum, the famed ceremonial city of
Chichen Itza, and the newly excavated Coba. There will be plenty of
swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing in Xel-Ha, Akumal Beach, and
Cozumel. In addition, we will visit the modern resort of Cancun, the is-
land of Grand Cayman and Montego Bay. Alan Kolata, assistant professor
of South American archaeology at University of Illinois at Chicago brings
thorough knowledge and tremendous enthusiasm to the tour. He has
done extensive field work and lectured widely on South America and
Mesoamerica and looks forward to being your leader on this exciting
adventure.

Baja California

March 8-23

Circumnavigating the Baja peninsula aboard the Pacific Northwest
Explorer is an experience you won't want to miss. Dr. Robert K. Johnson,
curator of Fishes at Field Museum and other naturalists will enrich your
visit to the breeding lagoons of gray whales, fin, humpback, sei, and the
largest of all — blue whales. In addition to some of the best whale-spotting
in the world, you'll get a close-up view of colonies of northern elephant
seal, schools of dolphins, myriad birds and fish, strange endemic plants,
and very lovely scenery.

The Art and Culture of Indonesia —
A Voyage to the Islands of the Java Sea

March 21- April 8

Composed of thousands of islands forming a vast archipelago, Indonesia
is an ancient land of gentle peoples, rich and varied cultural traditions, and
tropical landscapes of unsurpassed beauty. With its panoply of religions,
art forms, rituals, and dances found nowhere else in the world, Indonesia
confronts the visitor with a fascinating past; its history, myth, and legend
are often inseparable. On an itinerary which has been carefully planned to
include well-known sites as well as remote, verdant isles, we will travel
aboard the ship Illiria to destinations of immense beauty.

New Zealand Cultural Expedition

April 14 — May 4

Price: $4,675
(double occupancy)

The Maori people of New Zealand welcome you to their country and
their hearts with this unique opportunity to live and share with them in a
rich cultural adventure. This is the first year American tour groups have
been allowed to stay with the Maori in their traditional meeting houses,
where we will be ceremonially initiated into Maori society. This once-in-
a-lifetime chance is offered to Field Museum members in conjunction
with our forthcoming exhibit, "Te Maori: Maori Art From New Zealand
Collections," and is led by Dr. John Terrell, curator of oceanic archaeology
and ethnology at Field Museum.

The Great Silk Route of China

May 21 — June 15
$4,550

Field Museum is offering an exciting new itinerary for The People's Re-
public of China, featuring some areas of interest new to the world traveller
and to those who have visited China previously. Our flight from Chicago is
direct to Tokyo then on to Beijing. After several days there, viewing such
marvels as the Forbidden City and the 98-acre Tien An Men Square, we go
on to Urumqi, Dunhuang, Lanzhou, Xian, Shanghai, and Guilin. Xian is of
particular interest to archaeology buffs for here we find the vast life-size
terra cotta army discovered in 1974. We return to the U.S. via Hong Kong.
Phillip H. Woodruff, Ph.D. candidate in Chinese history at the University
of Chicago will be tour leader. He is fluent in Chinese and thoroughly
knowledgeable in Chinese culture past and present. He has taught and
lived in China and is currently an associate professor in the Department of
History at the University of Virginia. He has led several previous Field
Museum tours to China and looks forward to having you along in 1986.

The Classical Mediterranean

May 24 — June 8

What better way to sail the blue Mediterranean than aboard the legen-
dary Sea Cloud? The largest private sailing ship ever built, she retains the
elegance of the past while offering contemporary comfort. In addition to
many other ports, we visit Rome, Pompeii, Tunis, Malta, Naxos, Cephalo-
nia, and Athens. The program will be enhanced by a series of educational
lectures and discussions presented by accompanying faculty, offering in-
sight into the art, architecture, archaeology, and culture of the civilizations
that once thrived on these shores. Richard De Puma, a Field Museum
research associate in the Department of Anthropology and associate pro-
fessor at the University of Iowa's School of Art and Art History will be tour
escort. He earned his Ph.D. in classical archaeology and knows intimately
the ancient sites to be visited on this tour. Dr. De Puma has worked exten-
sively in archaeological research and excavations of ancient Mediterra-
nean cultures, has written numerous articles and books, been involved in
several museum exhibitions of classical antiquities and has recently
attended two international congresses on Etruscan archaeology and cul-
ture. He is an exceptional lecturer and leader.

Alaska

July 2-16
$4,885

Visit Alaska in summer! Explore magnificent waterways and vast park-
lands abundant with many species of birds. At Sitka, a marine wildlife
rafting trip gets you started on this spectacular ornithological tour. From
Juneau, a trip on the Mendenhall River offers unusual wetland viewing.
From Anchorage one easily reaches Potter Marsh Bird Refuge and the
Eagle River. Denali National Park (formerly called McKinley National
Park) and the Glacier Bay cruise are special highlights. We conclude our
trip with three days on St. George Island. Few people have visited this
island, which boasts spectacular birding. Early enrollment is suggested.
$50 will secure your reservation.

North Cape and Spitzbergen

Sailing Date: June 28

Hamburg to Hamburg — 14 days

Aboard the Five Star Cunard/NAC VistaJJord luxury liner

Field Museum leader: Dr. Bertram G. Woodland

Tours For Members

L

English Homes and Country Tour

July 1-15

Price $2,725

(double occupancy)

The countryside of southeastern England is a sea of rolling green hills
patchworked with living hedgerows and dotted with woolly sheep.
Charming thatched villages nestled in the downs and lush royal gardens
easily complement the medieval towns with their ancient cathedrals and
the quaint southern cities with their cobbled streets and bustling pubs. The
average tourist experiences no more of these than can be viewed in a
cursory tour, but Field Museum is offering a marvelous opportunity for
the discriminating traveler to live with English people in their homes, and
to experience English country life as they do. Hosts and hostesses include
baronets, generals, doctors, company directors, members of Parliament,
and landowners. Their homes range from mansions to more modest, yet
extremely comfortable country cottages. Accommodations include use of
a private bathroom.

In addition to a local guide, a scholar from the Field Museum will
make this a rich and unusual adventure. Dr. Peter Crane was born and
raised in England, getting his Ph.D. in botany at the University of Reading.
He is an associate curator in the Department of Geology at Field Museum
and was recognized as one of ten "Outstanding Young Citizens" by the
Chicago Junior Association of Commerce and Industry in 1985. He is ex-
cited about this unusual travel opportunity in his native country and in-
vites you to join him and his countrymen in an exploration of English
Homes and Country.

Itinerary:

Tues. July 1 . Depart Chicago O'Hare for Heathrow.
Wed. July 2. Arrive Heathrow. Met by tour director; board luxury
coach for drive to Canterbury. Meet hostesses and drive to their homes to
unpack and freshen up before lunch. At leisure for the rest of the day. In
the evening dinner with hostesses.

Thurs. July 3. Canterbury. A day in and around Canterbury. First a
tour of the cathedral personally introduced by a canon from the cathedral
staff, followed by a wander in Canterbury before lunch. After lunch fur-
ther time to wander in Canterbury before visiting the village of Fordwich,
which has the oldest town hall in England. Dinner in a private house.
Fri. July4. SouthKent. Drive south to the Cinque Port of Rye with its
steep cobbled streets and period houses, and the world famous Mermaid
Pub. A short drive to Bodiam Castle, built in 1386 to defend the Rother
Valley from incursions by the French, followed by lunch at the Castle Pub.
Another short drive to Great Dixter, a house built about 1450 (not long
after Chaucer) and which now has a lovely garden containing a wide
variety of unusual and interesting plants. Dinner in a private house.
Sat. July 5. Mid-Kent. After breakfast a leisurely drive to Leeds
Castle for a private tour of what was described by Lord Conway as the
"loveliest castle in the world." On through typical Kent countryside to
Sissinghurst Castle, with its well-known and very beautiful garden.
After lunch in the Castle restaurant, a short drive to Godinton Park for a
private visit to this mansion with its fine Stuart panelling, carving, and
magnificent furniture and porcelain. Dinner with hostesses.
Sun. July 6. Travel To Cambridge. Goodbye to the Canterbury hos-
tesses. A short drive to the great Norman cathedral at Rochester in the
heart of Dickens country where those who wish may attend a service.
Then by tunnel under the River Thames northward into the county of
Essex for lunch in a Tudor pub. After lunch a drive through the changing
East Anglian countryside to meet and dine with Cambridge hostesses.
Mon. July 7. Suffolk. A day in Suffolk countryside immortalized by
artist John Constable. First to Newmarket, home of the Sport of Kings, and
center of the racing industry for a private tour of the Gallops, Tattersalls
Selling Ring and the Jockey Club for sherry. Lunch in Newmarket before
driving to the medieval town of Bury St. Edmunds with its beautiful

cathedral. In the late afternoon a short drive to Lavenham with time to
explore the Guildhall dating from the 1520s, and the most splendid of
all "Wool" churches before dining in one of the oldest buildings in
Lavenham, the famous Swan Hotel.

Tues. July 8. Cambridge. A day in and around Cambridge, first visit-
ing historic colleges and churches including Kings College Chapel, fol-
lowed by a visit to the American Military Cemetery at Madingley which
commemorates those Americans who died in northwest Europe in World
War II. Lunch at a private house close to Cambridge. The afternoon in
Cambridge exploring the city before dining with hostesses.
Wed. July 9. Travel To Chichester. After bidding farewell to Cam-
bridge hostessses a drive south to West Sussex bypassing London to the
west, and stopping for a pub lunch on the way. In the afternoon visit the
Royal Horticultural Society Gardens at Wisley. These world-famous gar-
dens contain an extraordinary collection of plants, flowers, trees, and
shrubs, and attract visits by horticulturists from all over the world. A fur-
ther journey to meet and later dine with hostesses.
Thurs. July 1 0. Chichester. First to Bosham to visit Trinity Church of
King Canute fame before going to Chichester for a stroll through the Pal-
lants to the Hospice of St. Mary, then lunch in the Dolphin and Anchor. A
Private tour of the Cathedral and free time to explore before having supper
at the Festival Theatre Restaurant and attending a performance at the
theater.

Fri. July 11. Winchester. A drive west, skirting Portsmouth and
Southampton, to Broadlands, home of the late Lord Mountbatten. A short
drive to Winchester for lunch in the Wessex Hotel before visiting the
cathedral and wandering in its environs. Return to Chichester through the
rolling countryside of West Sussex. Dinner with Hostesses.
Sat. July 12. Mid-Sussex. Visit Boxgrove Priory which dates from
the 12th century. A short drive to the thatched village of Amberley which
nestles at the foot of the Downs. A pub lunch. Then to Petworth, a mag-
nificent late 17th-century house which includes among its treasures
works by Van Dyck and Turner, and a Grinling Gibbons room. A private
dinner at Goodwood House followed by a tour of this historic home of the
Dukes of Richmond and Gordon.

Sun. July 13. Travel to London. Goodbye to Chichester hostesses,
and drive to London for an orientation tour through the West End and
City before arriving at the Mandeville Hotel and settling in there before
lunch. Free afternoon and evening.

Mon. July 14. London. Free day and evening in London. The book-
let on London in the personal folders given to each guest on arrival in
England lists places of interest, how to get there and times of opening. A
private tour of the Palace of Westminster, provided the Houses of Parlia-
ment are not in recess, will be arranged for those who wish.
Tues. July 15. Tour Ends. Those returning home will be escorted to
London Heathrow Airport by our tour director. Arrive Chicago O'Hare.

Grand Canyon Adventures

August 13-22
August 22-31

Field Museum Tours is offering two trips to the Grand Canyon in 1986.
The first, August 13-22, is a geology study trip hiking down the north rim
of the canyon, rafting for four days along the bottom and hiking back up
the south rim. The second, August 22-31, is a rafting trip along the entire
300-mile length of the canyon by two motorized rubber rafts. Dr. Mat-
thew H. Nitecki, curator of fossil invertebrates leads both. A deposit of $50
per person will hold your space.

For further information or to be placed on our mailing list, call or write Dorothy
Roder, Tours Manager, Field Museum, Roosevelt Rd. at Lake Shore Dr. , Chica-
go, IL 60605. Phone: 322-8862. 27

Field Museum of Natural History
Membership Department
Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive
Chicaso, I L 60605-2499

FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY BULLETIN

February 1986

"Sweet Saturday Night"

Brooklyn Academy of Music's Company of Dancers and Musicians

Perform Dances from Black America's Back Roads,

City Streets and Ballrooms

Saturday, February 22, 8:00 pm

Field Museum
of Natural History
Bulletin

Published by

Field Museum of Natural History

Founded 1893

President: Willard L. Boyd

Editor/ Designer: David M. Walsten
Production Liaison: Pamela Steams
Staff Photographer: Ron Testa

CONTENTS

February 1986
Volume 57, Number 2

February Events at Field Museum

Field Briefs

Board of Trustees

James J. O'Connor.

Chairman
Mrs. T. Stanton Armour
George R. Baker
Robert O. Bass
Gordon Bent
Mrs. Philip D. Block in
Willard L. Boyd
Henry T. Chandler
Worley H. Clark
Frank W. Considine
Stanton R. Cook
William R. Dickinson, Jr.
Thomas E. Donnelley II
Thomas J. Eyerman
Marshall Field
Ronald J. Gidwitz
Clarence E. Johnson
Richard M. Jones
John James Kinsella
Hugo J. Melvoin
Leo F. Mullin
Earl L. Neal
Robert A. Pritzker
James H. Ransom
John S. Runnells
Patrick G. Ryan
William L. Searle
Robert H. Strotz
Mrs. Theodore D. Tieken
E. Leland Webber
Blaine J. Yarrington

Life Trustees

Harry O. Bercher
Bovven Blair
Mrs. Edwin J. DeCosta
Clifford C. Gregg
William V. Kahler
William H. Mitchell
Edward Byron Smith
John W. Sullivan
J. Howard Wood

Art Objects as Taonga: Spiritual Values and
Power in Maori Art

by Sidney Moko Mead

A Recent Bequest 11

by Clifford Buzard, Planned Giving Officer

Colombian Emeralds: The World's Finest 12

by Peter C. Keller

The Piebald Saki 24

by Philip Hershkovitz, Curator Emeritus of Mammals

Field Museum Tours

26

COVER

Halley Hot Line

A new Comet Halley Hot Line, to keep fans of the return-
ing comet on top of its whereabouts, went into service
on December 15.

The new high-volume commercial service allows
several thousand callers at the same time to hear a re-
corded message about the comet. The information is
provided by the United States Naval Observatory in
Washington.

For people anywhere in the United States, Canada,
Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, calls to the telephone
number, (900) 410-8766, cost 50 cents for the first min-
ute and 35 cents a minute after that.

The recorded messages will be updated regularly,
talking about the whereabouts of the comet — making its
first return visit since 1910 — and telling callers how to
locate it in the night sky. The hotline is expected to re-
main in service until April 15.

The piebald saki, Pithecia albicans Gray, of the upper Amazonian
region of Brazil, painted by Zorica Dabich, Field Museum staff
illustrator, for Living New World Monkeys (Platyrrhini),
Volume 2, by Curator Emeritus Philip Hershkovitz. See pages
24-25.

Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin (USPS 898-940) is published monthly, except combined July/August issue, by Field Museum of Natural History. Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive.
Chicago. IL 60605-2496. Subscriptions: $6.00 annually. $3.00 for schools. Museum membership includes Bulletin subscription. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and do not necessarily
reflect the policy of Field Museum. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. Museum phone: (312) 922-9410. Notification of address change should include address label and be sent to Membership
Department Postmaster: Please send form 3579 to Field Museum of Natural History. Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive. Chicago, IL 60605-2496. ISSN: 0015-0703.

Sweet Saturday Night

Saturday, February 22, 8:00pm
James Simpson Theatre

Irs Party Time! — with the hit production of the
Brooklyn Academy of Music's Dance Black
America Festival. You are invited to join in the fun
for the sweetest and hottest nights of them all.
Sweet Saturday Night erupts on the stage, ex-
plodes in the aisles and flows out into the streets
of Chicago in a celebration of 300 years of the
dances that grew up in the back roads, city streets,
and ballroom dance floors of Black America.

From Traditional African Dances, the delicate
moves of the turn-of-the-century Cakewalk and
the elegance of exhibition ballroom dancing, to
the lascivious moves of Earl "Snakehips" Tucker,

tap dancing, and the death-defying acrobatics of
the Lindy Hop — it's all here — the Black Bottom,
Juba, Twist, Hustle, Electric Boogie and more!
Witness also, excerpts from "Fat Tuesday," a high
ceremony of candles, sequins, deities, and drums,
and a New Orleans funeral marching band. Sweet
Saturday Night's company of 19 dancers and
musicians keeps you in a spin from start to finish.

Tickets: $12:00 (Members: $10.00). Fees are
nonrefundable. Please use coupon to order
tickets. Seating is general admission. Theatre
doors open one hour prior to performance. Public
Programs information: (312)322-8854.

Two hours of sheer joy and a show that would be sweet any night of the week!

\*

CONTINUED ■

Events

February Weekend Programs

Each Saturday and Sunday you are invited to explore the world of natural history at Field Museum. Free tours,
demonstrations, and films related to ongoing exhibits at the Museum are designed for families and adults. Listed
below are only a few of the numerous activities each weekend. Check the Weekend Passport upon arrival for the
complete schedule and program locations. The programs are partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts
Council.

February

1 11:00am. Ancient Egypt (tour). Explore the tradi-

tions of ancient Egypt from everyday life to myths
and mummies.

8 1:30pm. Tibet Today (slide lecture). Visit Lhasa

and other towns now open to tourists.

16 12:00noon. Life in Ancient Egypt (tour). Focus on
the objects and practices which illustrate ancient
life in the Nile Valley.

22 12:30pm. Traditional China: The Jades (tour).
Examine the imagery, history, and lifestyles rep-
resented by Chinese jades and other masterworks.

23 12:30pm. Chinese Ceramic Traditions (tour).
Explore 6,000 years of ceramic art from our per-
manent exhibit.

These public programs are free with museum admission and tickets are not required.

Family Feature

Winter's For the Birds

Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 1 and 2,

1:00-3 :00pm

Look! Up in the Sky! Is it a cardinal? Is it a starling?
No! It's a black-capped chickadee! Not all birds fly
south for the winter, and the ones that stay can use
your help. Make a pine cone bird feeder for Chicago

area winter residents. Do a quiz in our Bird Habitats
exhibit and find out how our flying friends survive the
season. Get a Field Museum Field Guide to Area Birds
to help you identify what you see. Take home a bird
mobile to have a bird of your own in flight year round.

This feature is free with museum admission and no
tickets are required.

Registration

Be sure to complete all requested information on the
ticket application. If your request is received less
than one week before a program, tickets will be held
in your name at the West Entrance box office. Please

□ Member □ Nonmember

American Express/Visa/MasterCard

Card Number

Signature Expiration Date

Return complete ticket application with
a self- addressed stamped envelope to:

Field Museum of Natural History
Public Programs: Department of Education
Roosevelt Roat at Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605-2497

make checks payable to Field Museum. Tickets will
be mailed upon receipt of check. Refunds will be
made only if the program is sold out.

Name

Address

Citv

Zip

Telephone: Daytime

Sweet Saturday Night

Evening

Member

Tickets

# Requested

Nonmember

Tickets
# Requested

Total

Tickets

Requested

Amount

FIELD BRIEFS

"Plant Lady" Retires

Field Museum's volunteer "Plant Lady,"
Helen Ruch, has retired after nearly ten
years of faithfully tending the Museum's
many living plants throughout the large
building.

Helen Ruch came to Field Museum as
a volunteer in 1976 after a career as an
administrative assistant at Michael Reese
Hospital and Medical Center. The tender
loving care which she lavished on the
Museum's plants for those ten years will be
sorely missed, and the staff wishes her well
as she joins her family in Oregon.

Distinguished Peruvian Botanist
Visits Field Museum

Abundio Sagastegui Alva, of the Univer-
sidad Nacional de Trujillo, Trujillo, Peru,
recently completed a two- month study visit
to Field Museum's Department of Botany.
His trip was funded in part by a Science
in Developing Countries Program Grant,
awarded by the National Science Founda-
tion to Field Museum. Dr. Sagastegui is a
Field Museum research associate as well as
a contributor to the Museum's Flora of Peru
program. During his stay, he worked closely
with Associate Curator Michael O. Dillon
on several research projects involving Pe-
ruvian plants.

A leading Peruvian botanist, Dr. Sagas-
tegui has trained a generation of students
now occupying positions in Peruvian uni-
versities. The Peruvian government re-
cently honored him for his many years of
service in higher education. He has au-
thored many scientific papers and books,
and is currently chairman of the Botany
Section and head of the Herbarium Truxil-
lense in Trujillo. During his U.S. visit. Dr.
Sagastegui also traveled to the Missouri
Botanical Garden, in St. Louis, which con-
tributed toward his sponsorship.

Energy Reduction Award

On December 4 the Field Museum was
recipient of the 1985 "Energy Achievement
Award" from the Illinois Chapter of
ASHRAE (American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engi-
neers). The award was for a project initiated
in 1982 as part of the Museum's energy
management and utilization program.

With the implementation of this pro-
gram, the Museum has been able to reduce
the overall use of energy, staying somewhat
even with the increased cost of utilities.

Shown holding the award is Norman P.
Radtke, Field Museum's physical plant ad-
ministrator. With him is Lee Woods, pres-
ident of the Illinois Chapter of ASHRAE.

Michael Dillon Promoted

Michael O. Dillon, who joined Field
Museum in 1978, has been promoted to
associate curator of Botany. His research
activities have been focused on the sun-
flower family (Asteraceae) and the flora of
Peru. Dillon was responsible for the descrip-
tive labelling in the Plants of the World
exhibit hall, reopened in 1983, and his field
work has been the subject of a recently
completed section in the Bringing the World
to Chicago exhibit.

Dillon's present research includes a
study of the unusual lomas formations in the
Pacific coast deserts of Peru and northern
Chile. He is coordinating final treatments
for the Flora of Peru project. His identifica-
tion of specimens belonging to the very
large sunflower family has made him many
friends and brought much new material to
the Museum.

John Terrell's New Book on
Pacific Islands Prehistory

Field Museum's curator of Oceanic
archaeology and ethnology, John Terrell, is
the author of Prehistory in the Pacific Islands:
A Study of Variation in Language, Customs and
Human Biology, published this month by
Cambridge University Press.

How, asks Dr. Terrell in this richly-
illustrated and original book, can we best
account for the remarkable diversity of the
Pacific Islanders in biology, language, and

custom? Traditionally scholars have
thought in terms of a neat racial division be-
tween Polynesians, Micronesians, Melane-
sians, Australians, and Southeast Asians:
peoples allegedly differing in physical
appearance, temperament, achievements,
and perhaps even intelligence. However,
Terrell shows that such simple divisions do
not fit the known facts and represent little
better than a crude, static snapshot of hu-
man diversity.

In a fresh and stimulating study that
brings to bear a wide range of data drawn
from anthropology, achaeology, biogeog-
raphy, human ecology, and linguistics, he
poses a whole series of unfolding and inter-
linked questions about prehistoric life in the
Pacific that effectively unite the human
imagination with logical and empirical
methods of evaluation.

The 300-page book is illustrated with
19 halftones and 77 diagrams. At the time
this issue of the Bulletin went to press, it was
expected that the new book would be avail-
able at the Field Museum Store in February.
Price: $44.50 (10% discount for Members).

Herbarium Gift

A collection of 4,625 mounted herbarium
specimens were recently given by the Pro-
gram for Collaborative Research in the
Pharmaceutical Sciences (pcrps) of the Col-
lege of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at
Chicago — Health Sciences Center, to Field
Museum's John G. Searle Herbarium. At
the university the collection was used
mainly in teaching, and as a repository of
voucher specimens of plant samples used
for phytochemical and pharmacological in-
vestigations. The pcrps collections include
several important early herbaria from the
Chicago region, notably the Bastin Herbar-
ium of more than 900 specimens collected
between 1870 and 1890.

A special interest of Dr. Charles F. Mill-
spaugh (a trained physician), the organizer
and first head of the Botany Department,
was medicinal plants, an interest which has
been perpetuated at the Museum since its
founding. It is for this reason that many of
the pcrps specimens documenting pharma-
cological studies are especially welcome.

The transfer of the collections to the
Museum will make them more readily
available to researchers worldwide, and en-
sure their proper curation. The specimens
will be available to students and research-
ers, both at the Museum and at other insti-
tutions, through an active loan program.

Art Objects
as Taonga

Spiritual Values
and Power
in Maori Art

by Sidney Moko Mead

Photos by Athol McCredie,

courtesy the American Federation of Arts

and Henry N. Abrams, Inc.

The Te Maori exhibition has not only made us more
aware of the artworks of the Maori people of New
Zealand; it has also helped focus intellectual enquiry upon
understanding this art in its own terms. It is now in-
appropriate to apply Western concepts of analysis and
appreciation to an art tradition that is plainly not Western
and does not spring from a Western cultural context.
Rather, the new emphasis is upon trying to understand
Maori art from the standpoint of the culture and of the
people whose art it is. This means, in effect, beginning
with such basic notions as the word taonga, which is the
Maori label for art object, artwork, or artifact.

*-l. War God (Uenukutuwhatu)
Wood, 267cm. (8ft. 9 in.) high
Found at Lake Ngaroto, 1906
Waikato tribes

Te Tipunga period (1200-1500)
Te Awamutu Museum

2. Lintel (Pare)-*

Wood, shell, 235 cm. (7ft. 8 in.) wide

Patetonga

Ngati Tamatera tribe

Te Huringa 1 period (1800 — present)

Aukland Institute and Museum

Sidney Moko Mead is professor of Maori, Victoria University of
Wellington.

A

. dictionary definition of the word taonga will fail
to reveal its full significance. A Dictionary of the Maori
Language, by Herbert W. Williams,* tells us that it
means "property" or "anything highly prized." Then,
in one of the examples of how the word is used in a
sentence, we are told that "posture dancing is a big
taonga." (Ko te tangata maori taonga nui tenei, te haka,
mo te manuhiri.) This important word appears in the
Maori text of the Treaty of Waitangi ( 1840), where it
has a range of meanings. In the English text of the
treaty it is supposed to mean "property," but to Maori
people it means a great deal more than material posses-
sions. When we speak of nga taonga tuku iho, that is, of
prized possessions handed down by the ancestors, we
include highly prized segments of our culture such as
dancing (mentioned above), the language, the oral
literature, the arts, and the traditions and our history.

The word stands for material objects such as art
objects and heirlooms as well as for the immaterial ele-
ments of culture such as language, the traditions and
history, and associations with tapu (sacredness) and
mana (prestige). While the word taonga includes within
its orbit art objects as well as the performing arts, it is
not confined to them alone. However, here I want to
discuss the concept of taonga in relation to the sort of
art objects exhibited in New York (1984), in St. Louis
and San Francisco (1985), and in Chicago at the Field
Museum (1986). I want to confine my comments to the
category known to the Maori as taonga whakairo, that
is, to art objects. For my purposes here I will accept as
art objects any of the pieces that were selected by "ex-
perts" from the United States and New Zealand for

^Published by Government Printer, Wellington, New Zealand,
1957.

inclusion in the "Te Maori" Exhibition.

These objects are expertly crafted, each has a his-
tory and in this sense a life of its own; and each has, as
a vital part of it, a story consisting of many words. The
words might be those spoken at the ceremony in which
the object was presented to its new owner — a cere-
mony of separation from the artist and of formally
severing his "ownership" and influence over the object.
Or the words might be those spoken by the artist and
others while the object was being created. Yet again the
words might be the story of how the object was passed
down the generations from one owner to the next and
so on. Or how the object was found after being lost for
a long time. These words are part of what makes a
lump of wood or stone an art object — a taonga — and a
thing of cultural significance.

In the production stage the artist builds words into
the object he carves, and usually after a lot of reflection
and discussion with other people. The words are not
actually written into the wood but rather are summa-
rized and represented by well-understood motifs and
forms such that the viewer can "read" the artistic mes-
sage. An example can be seen in the Patetonga door
lintel from the Auckland Museum. Carved round about
1840-50, this is a superbly composed lintel which re-
tells a powerful origin myth (fig. 2).

This is the story of the culture-hero Maui, who
sought immortality for mankind. What he thought he
would do was take death out of the hands of the God-
dess of Death, Hine-nui-te-po. He had just obtained fire
for man by taking it away from the Goddess of Fire,
Mahuika. Now he was going to find the very source of
life, gain control of that and so give people the power to
live forever. The Goddess of Death is shown in the cen-
ter of the lintel and she can be seen lying down with

her legs apart. Her eyes were said to be of greenstone
and they flashed on the edge of the sky. Here her eyes
are of shell and they are open and flashing. To help him
carry out this important task, Maui persuaded some
birds to go with him. What he planned to do was
reverse the process of birth and enter the womb of the
goddess while she was asleep, for surely the source of
life was there. He made the birds promise that when he
crawled in, they were on no account to laugh at him,
no matter what they thought of his actions.

Well, he began his entry. He wriggled and wrig-
gled and soon his head was in but then the birds could
contain themselves no longer and they burst out laugh-
ing and twittering at Maui. This woke up the goddess
and she got such a fright that she closed her open
mouth and brought her great thighs together, crushing
Maui to death. That was how Maui died. He failed in

his very important quest, and as a consequence man
must tease the tail of death as shown in the terminal
motifs on the lintel. In other lintels man as represented
by the manaia is locked in mouth-to-mouth combat
with the symbol of death, the lizard, or tuatara.

It is obvious in this case that the words built into
the lintel through the code of wood carving gives mean-
ing to the object. And it is because this message is readi-
ly understood that the door lintel is sometimes treated
like a corpse. In the case of the carved house, Rongo-
karae, opened April 15, 1901 and built by the Ngati
Rongo hapu of Tauarau marae, Ruatoki, its door lintel
was carved in another village some considerable dis-
tance away. The tohunga (priest) of Te Whaiti, a man
named Te Tuhi, carved it in about 1889, then carried
it on horseback to Ruatoki. Wherever the Te Tuhi
stopped, the door lintel was greeted and wept over as

MEMBERS' PREVIEW OF

Te Maori: Maori Art from New Zealand Collections

Friday, March 7
5:00 pm to 9:00 pm

At 6:00, Dr. John Terrell, Field Museum's curator of Oceanic archaeology and ethnology and
exhibit curator of "Te Maori," will introduce Dr. Sidney Moko Mead, professor of Maori,
Victoria University at Wellington. There will be a performance of traditional Maori songs and
dance in Stanley Field Hall following the introduction and Dr. Mead's opening remarks.
Light refreshments will be served.

"Te Maori" is the first international exhibition devoted exclusively to Maori art and
culture. These 173 remarkable heirlooms of traditional art combine major sculptures and
carvings in wood, stone, jade, bone, ivory, and shell, dating from AD 1000 to 1800. Among
the works presented from more than 30 Maori tribes are monumental architectural
sculptures, elaborate canoe carvings and equipment, weapons, tools, musical instruments,
mortuary carvings, and objects of personal adornment.

The exhibit catalog, Te Maori: Maori Art from New Zealand Collections, edited by Dr. Mead,
and Prehistory in the Pacific Islands, by Dr. Terrell, will be available for purchase.

Special arrangements for handicapped persons can be made by calling 922-9410, ext
453. The CTA #146 Marine/Michigan bus services Field Museum. Call CTA (836-7000) for
the evening schedule.

"Te Maori: Maori Art from New Zealand Collections" was organized by the American
Federation of Arts in association with the New Zealand government, the Maori people, and
the New Zealand leading museums. Made possible by a grant from Mobil. Supported by the
National Endowment for Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, an indemnity
from the Federal Council on the Arts and Humanities, Air New Zealand, and the National
Patrons of the American Federation of Arts.

Please join us for a very special evening

though it was indeed a corpse. The biggest ceremony
was when he finally arrived at Tauarau. There the lintel
was wept over and the theme of its composition con-
firmed. But as it was an important part of the decora-
tive scheme of the ancestral house it was also seen as
being the ancestor.

When the ridgepole, or taahuhu, for this same
house was pulled across the river, the men on the
receiving side performed a posture dance to welcome
the backbone of their founding ancestor, Rongokarae.
In this instance the world taahuhu was interpreted as
the backbone not only of the house being built but also
of the ancestor himself, of a man who was a great lead-
er and a great carver in his day (fig. 3 ).

A ridgepole has a clear function in holding a house
together. Other poles are also important; for example,
the central heart post and the front pole. On many of
these supporting posts an ancestor figure is carved. The
figure is not simply a carved effigy of such and such an
ancestor but will be seen as being that ancestor. Thus,
in a carved meetinghouse people will seek out an
ancestor with whom they have some relationship and
they will sit or sleep near that ancestor.

One of my colleagues tells the story of how two
people sitting in front of a meetinghouse disagreed over
some names in a genealogy and when they began
questioning each other's right to argue for the respec-
tive version, one of them moved to the front pole and
hugged the carved figure at its base and said, "This is
my ancestor, where is yours?" This gesture won the
argument on that occasion. Plainly, the representation
on the post was an ancestor of some status.

In yet another case, when the house Te Hono-ki-
Rarotonga (The Connection with Rarotonga) was be-
ing built in the early 1930s, the local chief objected to
one of his ancestors being given a prominent penis, so
he chopped off the offending organ. His impulsive act
offended the team of carvers and they threatened to
walk off the job. After some talk back and forth the
carvers agreed to finish the house, but the chief began
to suffer personal discomfort afterwards. In this case,
the mana (prestige) of the carvers was questioned and
their tapu put at risk. It is not permissible for the patron
to deface the work of his carvers or to question their
ability. That would be regarded as an insult.

Carvers had certain rights which had to be pro-
tected. One unusual and interesting case of carvers'
rights was associated with the house Hotunui (1878),
now in the Auckland Museum. While this house was

3. Ridgepole of a chief's house, Tahuhu

Wood, 239 cm. (7ft. 10 in.) high

Bay of Plenty

Ngati Awa tribe

Te Huringa 1 period (1800 — present)

Aukland Institute and Museum

^

Pis-t

4. Side post. Poupou; Wood, 126 cm. (49 5/8 in.) high; Opotiki;
Whakaiohea tribe; Te Huringa period (1800 — present);
10 National Museum of New Zealand, Wellington

being carved in Hauraki, several of the carvers took sick
and died. Mereana Mokomoko, for whom the house
was being built, and her fellow tribesmen, the carvers,
believed an error was the cause of her trouble: the chips
from the chisel of Mereana's father, Apanui Hamaiwa-
ho, had been used in a cooking fire. This was a terrible
thing to do. To correct it, a ritual fire of carving chips
was lit and two sweet potatoes were cooked in it. After
they were cooked Mereana in her capacity as chief's
daughter was asked to eat them. Reporting this event
later she said, "I trembled with fear lest death should
come to me also!" But the old men reassured her that
she had the power to remove the evil spell which was
destroying the carvers. She ate the sweet potato and
eventually, the house, Hotunui, was completed.

Mistakes were regarded very seriously in the art
world of the Maori. There are famous instances in the
literature. A rafter painter at Te Whaiti made a mistake
in the painting of a certain pattern and this was noted
by the tohunga who opened the house. He prophesied
an early death for the artist, and according to the peo-
ple he was dead within a year. A truly tragic case was
that of the chief Te Waru of Ngati Whaoa of Te Arawa
who one day walked casually into the carving shed
smoking his pipe. He had forgotten to leave his pipe
and tobacco outside. In those days food of any sort was
not permitted — tobacco was cooked food. As a result of
this error the carvers quit work and so Te Waru had to
try and finish the house by himself. It is reported that
he lost three wives and two children before he finally
gave up and sold his unfinished dream to a European
dealer named Charles Nelson. Nelson then hired carv-
ers to complete the house, which he erected at Rotorua.

In March 1900 Charles Nelson persuaded the peo-
ple to give his house the full measure of traditional
opening ceremonials, somewhat like the rituals for the
opening of "Te Maori." This resulted in one of the strang-
est happenings of the Maori world in which a Pakeha
(European) was demanding and getting the ritual cere-
monies for his house which he planned to sell soon
afterwards. No one can do that sort of thing nowadays.
What he was doing was using the people to "authenti-
cate" his house so he could get a good price for it. The
house is Rauru, which is now in Germany. As it hap-
pened he exceeded the requirements of protocol by
arranging for two tohunga (ritual experts), instead of
one, to open the house. Nelson was thus the cause of
committing another grave error and as a result the sec-
ond tohunga who performed the opening ceremonies
died within eight days of the event. My relative, the first
tohunga, died over a year later. The chief, Te Waru,
who committed the original error, lived to a ripe old
age, but he was burned to death in his hut at Paeroa.
The house that he attempted to build when he was still
a young man was in honor of "the beautiful wife of his

Continued on p. 19

A Recent Bequest

%■:&&■:

I

*^¥%:

; . ■■■■ ■-*■■

-'■ ■■■ V

. he opal, garnet, and diamond brooch
shown here has been placed on permanent
exhibit in the new Grainger Hall of Gems.

This exquisite antique brooch was a
bequest from the late Mrs. Clarence
(Mathilde) Wiley, formerly of 1320 North
State Street, Chicago. The brooch had been
handed down for generations in her family,
and on the reverse is engraved "Mathilde
Klock, 1887-1904."

The brooch is platinum and 14 karat
yellow gold with an oval-shape opal measur-
ing 31.5 x 22.5 mm. The opal is bordered
first with 29 rare green garnets, each . 12 ct,
thence with ?>?> round old mine-cut dia-
monds, each .15 ct.

Field Museum is deeply appreciative of
this bequest, and invites other Members to
donate heirlooms and collections by way of
will. Another recent bequest was a collection
of fine crystal, which is used in the Found-
ers' Room. The collection was the bequest of
the late Harold E. Christensen, for some
years chief buyer for the fine crystal depart-
ment of Marshall Field's. Many Members
make monetary gifts by will, also; these
funds are placed in the Endowment, where
the monetary gift becomes as perpetual as
heirloom gifts. The Museum's Planned
Giving Office, (312) 322-8858, welcomes
inquiries. All bequests to this natural history
museum become as perpetual as natural
history itself.

RON TESTA N84896

12

Colombian
Emeralds

The World's
Finest

by Peter C. Keller

ew gemstones on the world market today pro-
vide the aura of adventure and intrigue, wealth and
beauty that we find in the emerald. Indeed, the mys-
tique of these gemstones dates from the early days of
the Roman Empire, when stones from the now long-
lost Cleopatra mines in Egypt were first worn as
jewelry. Although the Egyptian mines may have pro-
vided the Western world with the first such emeralds,
and such gems were later found in Russia, Austria,
and Brazil, the finest emeralds are of Colombian ori-
gin.

The history of the Colombian emerald mines is a
checkered one, beginning with the Spanish con-
querors' cruel enslavement of local Indians to work
the deposits — one of the factors leading to a rapid
decimation of the Indian population. Even in recent
times, violence and murder was so prevalent at
Muzo, Colombia's major mine, that it was forced to
close down in the early 1970s.

By the time the Spanish arrived in South and
Central America in the early 1500s, large quantities
of emeralds were already in use by the natives of
Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Mexico, suggesting
that the mining of these gemstones and their use as a
trade item had been going on for some time. Monte-
sinos, a priest in Peru between 1628 and 1642, wrote
that emeralds were among the spoils of Sinchi Roca
when that Inca leader conquered Cuzco, Ecuador, in
ad. 1100. The Spaniards found emeralds being used
as human adornment and as sacrificial offerings in

0 Some 15,000 guaqueros (literally "treasure hunters") are found
every day searching river beds for emeralds washed down from Co-
lombia's main emerald-mining area, Muzo. Their lifestyle is much
like that of our own Forty-Niners during the California Gold Rush.

Peter C. Keller, Ph.D. is associate director, Public Programs, of
the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History.

The 217. 8-ct Mogul Emerald (front and back) is a fine example of early Colombian stones treasured by the Mogul nobility in India. Alan Caplan
collection. New York. Photography by Harold and Erica Van Pelt.

14

rituals such as the famous El Dorado ceremony at
Lake Guatavita, just northeast of Bogota.

According to historical accounts, Francisco Pizar-
ro, who conquered Peru, sent four chests of emeralds
from that country to the king of Spain in 1533.
Father Joseph de Acosta wrote that two chests of
emeralds were on his ship when he sailed from Peru
to Europe in 1587. Today, many of the older museum
collections in Europe contain emeralds labeled as Per-
uvian in origin, though these are all undoubtedly
from Colombia.

As a matter of course, the Spanish began search-
ing for the source of these fine emeralds, which were
vastly superior to those they knew from Egypt and
Austria. Unable to locate a source in Peru, the Span-
ish under Gonzalo Jimanez de Quesada began look-
ing in Colombia. There, Quesada first came upon
emeralds at Turqmeque, in what is now Colombia's
department of Boyaca, in 1537, prompting him to
send a Captain Valenzuala to locate the exact source.
Valenzuala succeeded in finding what is now the Chi-
vor mine, 75 km northeast of Bogota. Already well
developed by the Chibcha Indians, the mine came to
be named Chivor after a nearby valley. The Spanish
took over the deposit and began extracting emeralds,
using slave labor.

The huge output of fine gemstones from Chivor
that soon resulted was followed, not surprisingly, by

a drop in emerald prices on the European market; so
new markets were sought. The Mogul nobility of In-
dia were especially eager for the large, fine, Col-
ombian crystals, and Spain began exporting large
quantities of rough Colombian crystals to India,
where many were beautifully carved. These were
worn by the Mogul nobility, usually as clothing
adornments.

In 1739, when the Persians sacked Delhi, a large
percentage of the carved Mogul emeralds were lost to
the conquerors and subsequently taken to Persia. Some
idea of the vast wealth that was lost to the Persians
could be gained (until recent years) by viewing the
crown jewels of Iran, which included many of these
Mogul emeralds. Experts who examined more than
1,000 of them reported that most were larger than 10 ct
and some exceeded 100 ct.

One of the finest examples of these stones to be
found in private hands today is known simply as the
Mogul Emerald. This roughly rectangular carved slab is
approximately 2" x IVi" x Vs" in size and weighs 217.8
ct. One side is carved with the floral motif that was
popular with Mogul craftsmen; the other side contains
an Islamic prayer inscribed in beautiful Arabic callig-
raphy. The inscription includes the date ad. 1695,
placing the stone in the reign of the Mogul emperor
Aurangzeb.

Many of the best Colombian emeralds of the late

sixteenth century found their way to the royal courts of
Europe. A very fine example of such is the Smith-
sonian's "Spanish Inquisition Necklace," a 300-year-
old piece consisting of 15 major emeralds and more
than 360 diamonds. The emeralds are in the form of

During the sixteenth and into the seventeenth and
even eighteenth centuries, many of the finest Col-
ombian emeralds were used in major pieces of religious
art, in Colombia as well as in Spain. Perhaps the most
spectacular of these is the Custodia de San Ignacio,

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The 300-year-old
"Spanish Inquisition "
necklace contains 15
emerald beads and
more than 360
diamonds. Smiths-
onian collection.

cylindrical and hexagonal beads not unlike those found
in pre-Colombian artifacts, and it is quite possible that
these emeralds were taken from the Indians who had
used them in jewelry for their own royalty. The neck-
lace's centerpiece is a 24 x 15 mm emerald bead of the
finest quality, flanked by 14 fine, but smaller emeralds.
The style of drilling in the 15 stones is like that of pre-
Colombian Indian craftsmen.

which is today in the care of Bogota Jesuits. This 19-
inch-high monstrance is nicknamed La Lechuga ("let-
tuce"), because the approximately 1,480 uniformly fine
emeralds give the piece a green appearance. The most
important single stone in La Lechuga is a cabochon (a
polished but unfaceted stone) of some 50 ct, so
mounted that it may be viewed from either side, form-
ing a beautiful green window.

16

An exceptionally fine I" -high emerald crystal in typical matrix from
Chivor, Colombia. Photo by Van Pelt.

In 1592, the first recorded grant for working the
Chivor deposits was given to Francisco Maldonado de
Mendoza by the president of the new kingdom of Gra-
nada. To protect Indian mine workers against cruel
treatment, the president issued a decree in the follow-
ing year. This was followed in 1602 by orders from
Spain's Phillip III, further enforcing the law, but by
then the labor force had already been seriously
reduced. The loss of workers, together with stricter
regulation of mining procedures, resulted in a sharp
drop in emerald production. In 1650 in the Muzo dis-
trict mines were declared property of the crown,
and production declined even further. By 1675 the Chi-
vor mine was abandoned, and for the next 200 years its
location remained a mystery. Muzo was worked off
and on until 1871, when the government declared it the
National Emerald Domain. Then, production all but
ceased, and lawlessness prevailed, a situation that has
ameliorated only recently.

Soon after Muzo was placed under government con-
trol, Chivor was rediscovered, thanks to a description of
the location written almost 300 years earlier. In 1888,
Colombian mining engineer Don Francisco Restrepo
found an early seventeenth-century manuscript contain-
ing the description in a Dominican convent in Quito,
Ecuador. Written by Fray Martin de Aguado, it de-
scribed the Chivor mine as the only place in the Andes
from which one could see through a mountain pass to
the plains of the Orinoco. Following this lead, Restrepo
located the legendary mine in 1896. Legal problems
with the government hampered Restrepo's early min-

ing activities, but his subsequent partnership with Ger-
man mining engineer Fritz Klein coincided with the
lifting of government restrictions and improved pro-
duction. When World War I broke out, however, Klein
returned to Germany. Restrepo died at Chivor and,
with Germany's defeat, Klein lost all right to the mine
as the consequence of alien property legislation. In
1919 Chivor came into private hands when it was pur-
chased by the Colombian Emerald Syndicate, Ltd., an
American firm. Since then, Chivor has changed hands
frequently, with varying fortunes, and been managed
by such mining engineer notables as Peter W. Rainier
(author of Green Fire, 1942) and Willis Bronkie. Today
the Chivor mines are in the hands of the Quintero fam-
ily.

Chivor emeralds are generally considered inferior to
those from Muzo, but they may have fewer flaws and
are possibly much "brighter." Chivor emeralds are also
not known for great size, but a noteworthy exception
to this is the 632 ct Patricia Emerald, the largest known
crystal from Chivor. Discovered in 1920, the Patricia
was sold the following year for $60,000. Its where-
abouts remained unknown until the early 1950s, when
it was given anonymously to the American Museum of
Natural History.

In 1953, a new mine was discovered at Gachala,
8 km southwest of Chivor, when a woodcutter's mule
allegedly uncovered an emerald-bearing rock.
Although Gachala has produced only off and on since
its discovery, an 848 ct crystal, generally considered
one of the finest in existence, was found there in 1967.
The 5 -cm hexagonal prism, known simply as the

The most famous Chivor emerald is the 632-ct "Patricia," now
housed in the American Museum of Natural History, New York.

Gachala Emerald, is now at the Smithsonian.

During the first half of the twentieth century, the
Colombian government was unable to mine profitably
at Muzo, and in 1946 the government yielded manage-
ment of the mine to the Banco de la Republica, the
national bank, which supervised it until 1969 with bet-
ter results. During this period, several emeralds of ma-
jor importance were found, and these were placed in
the bank's vault in Bogota, where they remain. They
include five crystals weighing 220.0; 1,020.5; 1,482.5;
1,759.0; and 1,795.85 ct each. Two of these— the
1,020.5 ct and 1,759.0 ct crystals — are of exceptional
quality. The latter stone, measuring 50 x 45 x 89mm,
may be the largest very fine rough emerald crystal in
the world. Certainly, these five together are comparable
to any emerald crystal collection known.

For the most part, the five crystals are simple hex-
agonal prisms. The 1,795.85 ct and the 1,482.5 ct crys-
tals are definitely blue-green, a characteristic generally
associated with Chivor emeralds though all five in the
bank collection are reportedly from Muzo. They have
interesting rectangular etch faces, minor calcite inclu-
sions, and some associated pyrite.

While under the bank's management, Muzo also
produced the largest Colombian emerald crystal in the
world — the 7,025 ct Emilia crystal from the Las Cruces
mine. It is of poorer quality, however, than those in the
bank's collection. The crystal has been displayed at var-
ious expositions around the world since its discovery in
1969 by a private mining concern, but its present
whereabouts is unknown.

Today, the Muzo and Chivor districts remain Col-
ombia's chief emerald producers. The Muzo district,
360 square kilometers (139 sq. miles) in area, and at an
elevation of about 600 m, is 105 km north of Bogota in
the valley of the Rio Itoco, a tributary of the Rio
Minero. The main mines in the Muzo district include
the Tequendama, Santa Barbara, El Chulo, Coscuez,
and Penas Blancas.

The Chivor district, some 75 km northeast of Bogota,
is in exceedingly rugged country where the Rio Rucio
and Rio Sinai join to form the Rio Guavio. The Chivor
mine is at an elevation of about 2,300 m, and just 2 km
to the east, in sight of the mine, the Rio Guavio, at an
elevation of only 700 m, slices through a ridge that rises
even higher than the mine. In addition to the Chivor
mine, the Chivor district includes the Buenavista mine,
just south of Chivor, and the Las Vegas de San Juan
mine, commonly known as the Gachala mine, some 8
km to the southwest. Colombia's only privately owned
emerald mine, Chivor has produced moderate but con-
sistent quantities of fine emeralds in recent years. In the
past year, the Buenavista mine has been particularly
active.

Much of the recent excitement in the Colombia
emerald mining area has been at Muzo, a government -

The most spectacular of five crystals housed in the Banco de la Repub-
lica in Bogota, Colombia, is this crystal which weighs 1795.85 ct.
Photo by Harold and Erica Van Pelt.

Looking east over the Chivor emerald mine, 75 km northeast of
Bogota.

Looking north over the Muzo mines, about 105 km north of Bogota.

Guaqueros working the gravels of the Rio Itoco, below the Muzo
mining area.

already noted, was long known for mismanagement
and violence. In 1977 the government awarded five-
year leases for the Muzo mines to three private com-
panies. Under the new lease arrangement, Muzo is
more productive than at any other time in its 400-year
history. In 1978, just a year after the Muzo leasing be-
gan, Colombia's total emerald exports jumped to $40
million, compared to $2 million in 1973.

Unfortunately, five-year leases encourage lessees to
mine as rapidly as possible, and their methods are not
as considerate of resources and the environment as
they should be. When the author visited Muzo in 1979
and again in 1980, the main area was being worked
harshly, with bulldozers and dynamite — methods that
had been avoided in the past because of the fragility of
emerald crystals. After an area has been dynamited,
bulldozers scrape away the overburden, exposing white
calcite veins where the emeralds are to be found. Teams
of laborers then work the veins with pick and shovel.
The emeralds they find are placed in canvas bags, then
are sorted by the mine lessees each evening. Afterward,
the parcels of sorted stones are taken to Bogota for
further grading and marketing.

Because the main area is being stripped away with so
little care, a significant portion of the potential emerald
production is lost to the gravels of the Rio Itoco, and
each day finds the riverbed worked by some 15,000
guaqueros (independent miners, directly translated as
"treasure hunters"), whose lifestyle recalls that of our
own Forty-Niners during the California Gold Rush.FH

18

TE MAORI continued from p. 10

youth." He tried his best to build a house that would
serve as a fitting honor to her.

Stories such as that of the chief, Te Waru, empha-
size the fact that a taonga such as a carved house or
even the decorated parts of a house are much more
than what the eyes see (fig. 4). The carvers who created
them were committed to their construction in a way
that is difficult for modern carvers to appreciate. Their
reputations, their mana (prestige, power), and indeed
their lives were invested in the objects they created.
When the carvers die on the job and when the officiat-
ing tohunga risk their lives to create a valuable object
for the community, the result cannot be an ordinary art
object. We are looking at different values and at differ-
ent attitudes toward valuable objects. These are the
attitudes associated with the concept of taonga.

One cannot and should not be aloof and detached
from a taonga. Rather, the viewer should display a com-
mitment to it. The nature of the commitment can be
contemplated and understood by thinking about the
way in which Maori people act towards valuable art
objects. For example, the taonga brought to the United
States have been put through several rituals before their
arrival. One such ritual occurred before leaving the
museum where the objects were kept and another be-
fore they were finally enclosed in coffinlike boxes for
consignment on an airplane. There were important
ritual ceremonies to open Te Maori at the Metropolitan,
at the St. Louis Art Museum, and at the de Young
Museum in San Francisco. There will also be such a
ceremony at the Field Museum.

On such ritual occasions one is able to think of the
carvers who made these objects, in some cases many
centuries ago. The collection of objects forces one to
think of our ancestors who have all passed on, of their
joys and pains, of their dreams for us, of their successes
and their failures. Above all we acknowledge them for
giving us something to behold with our eyes and our
minds, something to call our own and be proud to
show the world and something which helps to give us,
the people of today, an identity.

Some objects are invested with great mana. Objects
of this sort are named, and by being named they reflect
the importance given to them by the people. The adze
associated with the Aotea canoe and named a Tawhio-
rangi is a highly tapu taonga which has great mana. This
taonga was lost for a very long period of time, from the
time of the land wars until very recently when it was
found in the ground. Its discovery caused great excite-
ment, and as a taonga of great antiquity it was wept
over and then put away for safekeeping. It is said that
people who mistreat this taonga or who touch it with-
out good cause are "hurt" by it. The person who found
it is said to be suffering as a result of handling
the adze.

5. Pendant. Hei-tiki Rutataewhenga

Greenstone, 12 cm. (4 3/4 in.) high

TUparoa

Ngati Porou tribe

Te Tipunga period (1200-1500)

Hawke 5 Bay Art Gallery and Museum, Napier

Generally speaking, the greater the value of the
object to the widest number of people in a tribe, the
more mana-tapu is associated with it. Raymond Firth,
in his book Economics of the New Zealand Maori* dis-
cussed this notion under the category of magic. The
tapu made the object very sacred, and its mana gave it a
force that had the power to hurt or to do things that are
not associated in other cultures with art objects. It is
certainly not present in all art objects in the Maori
world. Among the items in "Te Maori" are several that
are believed to have a power that is a consequence of
their great mana-tapu. The representation of the god

* Published by Government Printer, Wellington, New Zealand,
1959.

19

Uenuku from Waikato is such an object (fig. 1). Shaped
somewhat like certain pieces from Hawaii or Tahiti,
Uenuku is a highly abstract composition that might
represent fingers pointing to the sacred god above,
Rangi-nui-e-tu-nei (The Sky Who Stands Above Us). It
is perhaps poetic justice that a great deal of discussion
had to take place before Uenuku was allowed to leave
New Zealand. Certainly, American viewers have recog-
nized the power of Uenuku.

In the book for the exhibition, Te Maori: Maori Art
from New Zealand Collections, Anne Salmond** wrote
about Anuria Stirling's neck ornament, a tiki called
Mahu-tai-te-rangi. This tiki has the power to move of
its own accord, and there was a famous incident on
national television when the tiki was seen to turn itself
so that its back was to the camera! The explanation
offered by Amiria's husband was that the tiki did not
like what she was saying on television (fig. 5) . Salmond
mentioned a second example. This time the object was
a wooden weapon, a taiaha which belonged to the
famous warrior of Taranaki, Titokowaru. Titokowaru
fought the British and roundly defeated them on two
occasions, but he lost the last battle. Titokowaru's
taiaha, or wooden staff, was called Te Porohanga and it
was believed that the war god Uenuku entered it when
summoned to do so. Titokowaru would hold the
weapon horizontally between his thumb and forefinger
and the taiaha would then turn and point towards the
fighting unit who had to go and fight that day. There
was certainly power in that weapon.

Another sort of power is that which causes observ-
ers to "feel" and "notice" the presence of great mana in
an object and, in noticing, respond in some way. It is as
though the ancestors are "willing" the observers to re-
spect the power before them and so acknowledge it.
This sort of quality is referred to as ihi (power), wehi
(fear), and wana (authority). Usually all three words
are necessary to describe this quality which has the
power to make people respond in some way. The re-
sponse might be for one's body hair to stand on end
and for the skin to tingle. Or it might be that one begins
to twitch or one might weep. All of these responses are
perfectly normal to the Maori people and we will not
stop anybody from weeping over a taonga or make
them feel guilty because their skin is tingling.

When Princess Te Puea first saw the metal bird,
called the Korotangi, she stood in silence and wept
quietly for some moments. The bird was believed to
have come in her tribal canoe, Tainui, but the ethnol-
ogists are puzzled by its presence in New Zealand
because its associations are not Polynesian. Whatever
the origin of the Korotangi, Princess Te Puea reacted to
it and felt its imminent power. Whether she felt the

20

"From "Nga Huarahi O Te Ao Maori, Pathways in the Maori
World," p. 109.

power of her own people or of some alien people we do
not know. What is interesting is that the quality of ihi,
wehi, and wana, which is recognized by the Maori peo-
ple, might actually be felt by people of other cultures
even when they do not have a theory to account for it.
For the Maori, good art has ihi, wehi, and wana. With-
out this quality we do not have a taonga whakairo (art
object). All we might have is a stick or a stone that is
decorated.

I mentioned earlier that a taonga has life of its own
in the sense of having a history. It might have as well a
mauri, or life principle. People have a mauri, as do
things such as forests and land. Mauri, like hau, refers
to the vitality of growing things, to their fertility and
productivity. In this sense an art object cannot be com-
pared to man, vegetation, and land. Nonetheless, some
of my colleagues in the Maori world, for example, John
Rangihau,* believe that inanimate things such as art do
have a mauri. What an art object might also have is an
iho, which means "heart, inside, kernel, a pith" or that
which gives the object its power and its strength as a
work of art. However, when a named art object is given
a personality and power to react like a human being,
then it is also thought to possess a mauri. This mauri is
not an inherent part of the material object, but rather is
part of its spoken life, its life in words, its history, and
its tapu-mana. As these qualities are given by people,
they can also be removed by them when, say, the object
has "died" and is to be replaced. The mauri is part of the
cultural existence of the object rather than of its natural
existence as wood, bone, or stone (fig. 6).

The qualities which I have referred to, namely ihi,
wehi, and wana, mauri, hau, and iho all point to the fact
of Maori art objects possessing what we might call spir-
itual quality or spirituality which, in turn, point to
something we might call a religious response among
the people. It is time to ask about the source of the spir-
itual quality. Where does it come from? Why is there a
sacred quality to art objects?

There is but one source (which I explain below),
but there are several channels to the source. The first
has to do with the origin myth of woodcarving.
According to the beliefs of some of the Eastern tribes,
woodcarving was obtained from the realm of the Sea
God Tangaroa. Tangaroa was one of the sons of the
Sky-Father, Rangi, and of the Earth-Mother, Papa-
tuanuku. Ruatepupuke went down into Tangaroa's
kingdom and there found the carved model of a
meetinghouse. After some adventures there Ruate-
pupeke returned to earth with some of the house carv-
ings and these became the model for the great carver,
Hingangaroa, of the East Coast. This was how the godly
gift of carving was transferred out of the hands of the

* In Te Ao Hurihuri: The World Moves On (Aspects of Maoritanga) ,
Hicks Smith & Sons Ltd, Wellington. 1957.

6. Figure from palisade. Pou

Wood, 177 cm. (69 7/8 in.) high

Opotiki

Whatkatohea tribe

Te Huringa 1 period (1800 — present)

Aukland Institute and Museum

^*W -JET

21

7. Gateway figure

Wood. 196 cm. (6 ft. 5 1/8 in.) high

Lake Rotorua. Te Ngae

Arawa tribe (Ngati Whatkaue

Te Huringa 1 period (1800 — present)

Aukland Institute and Museum.

Gift of Justice Gillies

22

Sea God, Tangaroa, and delivered into those of ordinary
people. Although woodcarving is now an activity of
ordinary people, its divine and godly source is never
really forgotten. A carver has to respect the god who
gave us carving.

Next, there is a genealogical channel to the carver
or to the owners. Genealogies of high-ranking persons
of great mana-tapu begin from the gods Rangi and Papa.
Ultimately they are the source of everything — oitapu
and oimana and of art. Carvers and owners associated
with a particular object give to it, by contagion, a mea-
sure of their personal mana-tapu. The more they have,
the more the object will collect and so become sacred.
Other people who know of these associations cannot
ignore them. They are a part of the story, of the korero
(words), of the taonga.

Another channel is in the materials used. If wood is
used the source is Tane, the God of the Forest, of trees
of life. If it is whalebone, the source is Tangaroa again —
whales belong to his domain. If bird bones are used the
source is Tane and if the bones of men are used the
source is Tumatauenga. On the other hand, if the carver
turns to stone such as greenstone there is one god, for
obsidian another and for basalt yet another. In fact,
wherever the carver turns he confronts a world divided
into godly zones and for which proper rituals are re-
quired of him.

Thus, in the whole activity of carving, from the
cutting down of the trees to the completion of the work
and to its presentation to the public the spiritual aspect
is present. Even today carvers tend to regard their art
seriously. This same attitude of seriousness pervades all
domains of carving, regardless of material. One of the
basic forms used by Maori artists is the human form,
the image of man, expressed in a number of ways on all
sorts of objects. Very often the image is that of a named
ancestor and the very name given to such an image ele-
vates it and gives it mana. Ancestors are highly valued
so that choosing a name can become a very delicate
matter that affects a large number of people. Argu-
ments can result in political factions developing and
these might become divisive in a community.

For a significant number of people the ancestors
are part of the living family. They are talked to and
about as though they passed away only yesterday.
Identities are defined in terms of them, for who are we
without them! Through them we are assigned a tribe
and a hapu (sub-tribe), sometimes several. But the
important thing is that without them we are faceless.
To be just a New Zealander, which is what many politi-
cians advocate today, is to be nobody. In the Maori
world you must have a tribal identity and you must
know your hapu. Without these you are an orphan
crying in a social wilderness (fig. 7).

It will be obvious to most observers that ancestors
are intertwined in the visual arts; they are the inspira-

tion for much artistic endeavor. There is no art without
them. Because they are the inspiration and the theme
of a great deal of woodcarving there are consequences.
One is that the art keeps their memory alive by present-
ing images of them for everyday contemplation. Two,
the ancestors bring the art close to the people. Maori art
is not just for intellectual contemplation and cannot be
just that. It belongs to the people, and the ancestors
provide two sorts of link: between art and people and
at a deeper level between the gods and the people.
Because of these associations artists must treat art
seriously; there are too many possibilities of hurting
people for it to be regarded in any other way.

Conclusion

I set out to explain the Maori concept of taonga, partic-
ularly of taonga whakairo, or art object. In doing so I
have focused upon people and how they behave
towards taonga rather than the other way around. The
behavior provides clues and evidence of beliefs and
attitudes, and these combined make up the philo-
sophy of the people. They are, in fact, part of what we
could call Maori aesthetics, which we might define as
the theory underlying the arts of the Maori and the
philosophy of the mind and the emotions in relation to
them.

The concept of taonga is central to an understand-
ing of Maori aesthetics. Here we are not dealing with a
theory of the beautiful for contemplation by sensitive,
beautiful people. Rather, we have to think of power in
art objects, of artistry of such magnificence that it elicits
awe in the beholder and moves the self to respond. We
have to envisage an art system that demands a close
attachment of artists and public to it. This attachment is
assured because ( 1 ) one's identity as a Maori is re-
flected by and incorporated in the arts; (2) ancestors
are the main concern of the artists, and the ancestors
they portray provide the bond that links the public
strongly, positively, and surely to the arts; (3) the
ancestors help the public define their place in the
world.

The arts are seen in a positive light and everything
about them is good; they are full of beauty and tears,
they link us to our ancestors and ultimately to the
source of everything that is Maori, namely to Rangi, the
Sky Father, above, and to Papatuanuku, the Earth
Mother, below. The arts reflect our culture and our
humanity. In one real sense they give us dignity as peo-
ple and make us more human and more cultured than
would otherwise be the case. The taonga in "Te Maori"
elevate us, they raise our self-esteem, they enlarge us as
a people, they give us more space in the world and they
make us intensely proud of the achievements of our
ancestors. FN

23

The Piebald Saki

by Philip Hershkovitz
Curator Emeritus of Mammals

.he piebald saki, one of the rarest of mon-
keys, lives in a small remote part of Brazil. The
animal, the size of a large house cat, has never
been photographed or seen alive outside its coun-
try and nothing is known of its habits in the wild.

The first specimen made known to science
was sent from Brazil to the British Museum (Na-
tural History) in London about 1850, by Henry
Walter Bates (1825-1892), and described as
Pithecia albicans in 1860 by John Edward Gray.

Bates, the English naturalist who conceived
the theory of mimicry in animal form and color
during his travels in Brazil from 1848 to 1859,
first saw the piebald saki alive in Ega (now
Tefe), a town on the banks of the upper Amazon
River. It was the pet of a friend and neighbor.
As told by Bates in The Naturalist on the Amazo-
nas (1863, vol 2, p. 314), the parauacu, as the
monkey is called by natives, "became so tame in
the course of a few weeks that it followed [its
master) about the streets like a dog. My friend
was a tailor, and the little pet used to spend the
greater part of the day seated on his shoulder,
whilst he was at work on his board. It showed,
nevertheless, great dislike to strangers, and was
not on good terms with any other member
of my friend's household than himself. I saw
no monkey that showed so strong a personal
attachment as this gentle, timid, silent little crea-
ture It is not wanting, however, in intelli-
gence as well as moral goodness, proof of which
was furnished one day by an act of our little pet.

My neighbour had quitted his house in the mor-
ning without taking Parauacu with him, and the
little creature having missed its friend, and con-
cluded, as it seemed, that he would be sure to
come to me, both being in the habit of paying
me a daily visit together, came straight to my
dwelling, taking a short cut over gardens, trees,
and thickets, instead of going the roundabout
way of the street. It had never done this before,
and we knew the route it had taken only from a
neighbour having watched its movements. On
arriving at my house and not finding its master,
it climbed to the top of my table and sat with
an air of quiet resignation waiting for him.
Shortly afterwards my friend entered, and the
gladdened pet then jumped to its usual perch
on his shoulders."

Nothing more has been reported on the
habits or nature of the monkey.

The Bulletin cover illustration was modelled
on a museum preserved specimen and photo-
graphs of living animals of closely related species
of the genus Pithecia. The figure is one of a series
being executed by Staff Illustrator Zorica Dabich
for the second volume of my Living New World
Monkeys (Platyrrhini) . The first volume was pub-
lished in 1977 by the University of Chicago Press.
The scientific work is supported by a grant from
the National Institutes of Health and the illustra-
tions, in part, by the Barbara E. Brown Fund for
Mammal Research.

The piebald saki, Pithecia albicans,
painted by Zorica Dabich.

25

Tours For Members

For reservations, call or write Dorothy Roder (322-8862), Tours Manager, Field Museum,
Roosevelt Rd. at Lake Shore Dr. , Chicago, 1160605

M. V. Pacific Northwest Explorer

Baja California

March 8-23

Circumnavigating the Baja peninsula aboard the Pacific Northwest
Explorer is an experience you won't want to miss. Dr. Robert K. Johnson,
curator of Fishes at Field Museum and other naturalists will enrich your
visit to the breeding lagoons of gray whales, fin, humpback, sei, and the
largest of all — blue whales. In addition to some of the best whale-spotting
in the world, you'll get a close-up view of colonies of northern elephant
seal, schools of dolphins, myriad birds and fish, strange endemic plants,
and very lovely scenery.

The Art and Culture of Indonesia —
A Voyage to the Islands of the Java Sea

March 21- April 8

Composed of thousands of islands forming a vast archipelago, Indonesia
is an ancient land of gentle peoples, rich and varied cultural traditions, and
tropical landscapes of unsurpassed beauty. With its panoply of religions,
art forms, rituals, and dances found nowhere else in the world, Indonesia
confronts the visitor with a fascinating past; its history, myth, and legend
are often inseparable. On an itinerary which has been carefully planned to
include well-known sites as well as remote, verdant isles, we will travel
aboard the ship Illiria to destinations of immense beauty.

New Zealand Cultural Expedition

April 14 — May 4

Price: $4,675
(double occupancy)

The Maori people of New Zealand welcome you to their country and
their hearts with this unique opportunity to live and share with them in a
rich cultural adventure. This is the first year American tour groups have
been allowed to stay with the Maori in their traditional meeting houses,
26 where we will be ceremonially initiated into Maori society. This once-in-

a-lifetime chance is offered to Field Museum members in conjunction
with our forthcoming exhibit, "Te Maori: Maori Art From New Zealand
Collections," and is led by Dr. John Terrell, curator of oceanic archaeology
and ethnology at Field Museum.

The Great Silk Route of China

May 21 — June 15
$4,500

The silk route linked China, Central Asia, Persia, the Middle East, and
Europe nearly 2,000 years ago, giving birth to the exotic and spectacular
oasis cities of Xinjiang Province. Merchants carried more than silks, silver,
and spices along this route, however; they also carried ideas, traditions,
and Buddhism. Field Museum will trace the Chinese portion of this great
caravan highway, bringing to you not only a sense of Chinese history, but
the movements of history itself. We fly from Chicago to Tokyo and from
there to Beijing, where touring will include the Forbidden City, the Temple
of Heaven, the Summer Palace, the National Museum, and to the north,
the tombs of the Ming Emperiors and the Great Wall.

In Urumqui we get our first taste of the silk route as this exotic, green-
blanketed oasis thrives amidst bleak desert, highlands, and the snow-
capped peaks of the Tianshan Mountains. It is the capital of the Xinjiang
Uygur Autonomous Region, populated mostly by the Uygur Muslims and
showing their influence in all aspects of its life. Huge mosques dominate
the city; the people strictly observe their religious festivals and dress in
distinctive costumes, the older women wearing veils, as they keep their
traditions. Turpan is likewise an oasis in the desert, a small but richly exo-
tic caravan city still bustling with colorful bazaars. From here you can visit
the ruins of two ancient silk route cities, destroyed by Genghis Khan, but
yet beautiful in the golden sand.

Dunhuang, our next stop, proves the importance of the silk route in
dispersing new ideas and new religions. Here we find one of the world's
priceless troves of Buddhist art. The Magao Caves, the oldest Buddhist
shrines in China, were begun in A.D. 366 by a monk who saw a vision of a
thousand golden Buddhas. Hundreds of caves have been carved out of the
sandstone cliffs in a layered honeycomb pattern, connected with wooden
walkways and ladders. Carved over a period of a thousand years, these
grottoes bear witness to the changing artistic style and daily lives of the
Chinese people. Some of the statues show an Indian influence. The walls
of these caves are carved with niches containing brilliantly painted sta-
tues, and the ceilings are painted with murals depicting the life of Buddha,
Chinese mythology, religious stories, and the daily activities of the local
people.

Lanzhou is another important caravan city and garrison town since
ancient times. If the water level is high enough, we will take a river trip to
Binglingsi, a Buddhist monastery with rarely seen monumental carvings.
Xian is our next stop. Once the largest city in the world, dressed in imperial
splendor, it served as capital of eleven dynasties. It was a major trade route
link in the 7th and 8th centuries, but is now primarily known for the
discovery there of the vast life-size terra cotta army buried with an ancient
emperor.

Shanghai is currently China's largest, most populous and urbanized
city. It has a western flavor even today. The contrast of the "Old Town"
which is typically Chinese, and the 1930s high-rise district is startling.
Guilin is perhaps the most beautiful city in China, situated on a lush green
plain laced with rivers and lakes. A cruise on the Li River shows off this
region's spectacular scenery and its "stone forest" of amazing rock forma-
tions. Our next visit is to Guangzhou (Canton), an interesting city that is
increasingly integrating with Hong Kong. It is the most important trade
and industrial center in southern China and has a subtropical flavor with
its verdant parks, world-famous cuisine and boisterous atmosphere. On to
Hong Kong for a day before returning to Chicago via Tokyo.

Tours For Members

The Classical Mediterranean

May 24 — June 8

What better way to sail the blue Mediterranean than aboard the legen-
dary Sea Cloud} The largest private sailing ship ever built, she retains the
elegance of the past while offering contemporary comfort. In addition to
many other ports, we visit Rome, Pompeii, Tunis, Malta, Naxos, Cephalo-
nia, and Athens. The program will be enhanced by a series of educational
lectures and dfscussions presented by accompanying faculty, offering in-
sight into the art, architecture, archaeology, and culture of the civilizations
that once thrived on these shores. Richard De Puma, a Field Museum
research associate in the Department of Anthropology and associate pro-
fessor at the University of Iowa's School of Art and Art History will be tour
escort. He earned his Ph.D. in classical archaeology and knows intimately
the ancient sites to be visited on this tour. Dr. De Puma has worked exten-
sively in archaeological research and excavations of ancient Mediterra-
nean cultures, has written numerous articles and books, been involved in
several museum exhibitions of classical antiquities and has recently
attended two international congresses on Etruscan archaeology and cul-
ture. He is an exceptional lecturer and leader.

North Cape and Spitzbergen

Sailing Date: June 28

Sail to the Land of the Midnight Sun, to the North Cape, where the sun
shines 24 hours a day, aboard the "ultra deluxe" Vistafiord. This Five Star
ship boasts unabashed luxury and superior cuisine.

We sail from the exciting seaport city of Hamburg, Germany, past
majestic ice-blue fjords, including Norway's most splendid Geiranger-
fjord, exploring the region's Viking past in such towns as Molde, which
has reconstructed a Viking village. Narvik's exquisite wildflowers, Mag-
dalena Bay's massive glaciers and Longyearbyen's coastline of seals, wal-
rus, whales, and myriads of sea birds, make this a natural history tour of
startling beauty. Our tour leader, Dr. Bertram G. Woodland, geologist at
Field Museum, will enrich this adventure with his thorough knowledge of
the rock formations and geologic history of the fjords, and discussions on
the many interesting excursions. He invites you to consider this fabulous
cruise for a delightful experience you won't soon forget.

English Homes and Country Tour

July 1-15

price $2, 725

(double occupancy)

The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. is currently showing
"The Treasure Houses of Britain: Five Hundred Years of Private Patronage
and Art Collecting." This exhibition features art from the collections of
private country estates and the National Trust, arranged within a simula-
tion of their domestic settings. Exhibitions such as this are marvelous sup-
plements to a direct experience such as Field Museum Tours' English
Homes and Country Tour, through which you may view these pieces within
their architectural context, and amidst their natural landscapes. You may
explore many of the "treasure houses," gardens, countryside, and homes
of southeastern England, and you will gain a true appreciation of English
country life as you live in the homes of English people. Hosts and hostesses
include baronets, generals, doctors, company directors, members of
Parliament and landowners. Their homes range from mansions to more
modest, yet extremely comfortable country cottages. Accommodations
include use of a private bathroom.

In addition to a local guide, a scholar from the Field Museum will
make this a rich and unusual adventure. Dr. Peter Crane was bom and
raised in England, getting his Ph.D. in botany at the University of Reading.
He is an associate curator in the Department of Geology at Field Museum

and was recognized as one of ten "Outstanding Young Citizens" by the
Chicago Junior Association of Commerce and Industry in 1985. He is ex-
cited about this unusual travel opportunity in his native country and in-
vites you to join him and his countrymen in an exploration of English
Homes and Country.

Alaska

July 2-16

The pristine state of Alaska offers a natural history adventure of exquisite
beauty to the discerning traveler. Vast parklands of premier wildlife — with
vistas of caribou, dall sheep, and bear, from the foot of Mt. Denali (McKin-
ley) to the mighty Portage Glacier. We'll enjoy several short cruises featur-
ing whale, seal, and myriad species of waterbirds, such as cormorants and
puffins. St. George Island, rarely visited by humans, is home to spectacular
flocks of seabirds and a vast seal population. There, we'll be staying at the
St. George Hotel, a National Historic Landmark.

Several fascinating cities are on the itinerary — Juneau, Fairbanks,
and Anchorage — but perhaps the most interesting is Sitka, with its Rus-
sian heritage apparent in the architecture, food, and shops. Here, we get a
chance to visit the Raptor Center, where a dedicated team of scientists care
for wounded birds of prey. Hiking, museums, "flightseeing," park service
presentations, unusual shopping, dog sled demonstrations, salmon bakes,
and a scenic train trip through Denali Park are many of the treats this
adventure offers you.

Dr. David Willard, manager of Field Museum's bird and mammal col-
lections, will be tour leader. He received his Ph.D. in Biology at Princeton
University, where he was acting curator of Princeton Museum of Ornithol-
ogy. He has been on a number of research expeditions for Field Museum.
His experience in bird and animal identification and his experience as a
tour leader will enrich this expedition for you. He invites you to share in
the beauty of Alaska this summer.

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon Adventures

August 13-22
August 22-31

Field Museum Tours is offering two trips to the Grand Canyon in 1986.
The first, August 13-22, is a geology study trip hiking down the north rim
of the canyon, rafting for four days along the bottom and hiking back up
the south riom. The second, August 22-31, is a rafting trip along the entire
300-mile length of the canyon by two motorized rubber rafts. Dr. Matthew
H. Nitecki, curator of fossil invertebrates, leads both. A deposit of $50 per
person will hold your space.

For further information or to be placed on our mailing list, call or write Dorothy
Roder, Tours Manager, Field Museum, Roosevelt Rd. at Lake Shore Dr. , Chica-
go, IL 60605. Phone: 322-8862. 27

Fieid Museum of Natural History
Membership Department
Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, I L 60605-2499

FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY BULLETIN

March 1986

"Te Maori: Maori Art from New ^eaianc^ouecuons" hxhibit March 8 - June 8

For associated films, lectures, demonstrations, performances see pages 3-5

Members' Preview March 7

Field Museum
of Natural History
Bulletin

Published by

Field Museum of Natural History

Founded 1893

President: Willard L. Boyd

Editor/ Designer: David M. Walsten
Production Liaison: Pamela Stearns
Staff Photographer: Ron Testa

Board of Trustees

Richard M. Jones

Chairman
Mrs. T. Stanton Armour
George R. Baker
Robert O. Bass
Gordon Bent
Mrs. Philip D. Block III
Willard L. Boyd
Henry T. Chandler
Worley H. Clark
Frank W. Considine
Stanton R. Cook
William R. Dickinson, Jr.
Thomas E. Donnelley II
Thomas J. Eyerman
Marshall Field
Ronald J. Gidwitz
Clarence E. Johnson
John James Kinsella
Hugo J. Melvoin
Leo F. Mullin
Earl L. Neal
James J. O'Connor,
Robert A. Pritzker
James H. Ransom
John S. Runnells
Patrick G. Ryan
William L. Searle
Robert H. Slrotz
Mrs. Theodore D. Tieken
E. Leland Webber
Blaine J. Yarrington

Life Trustees

Harry O. Bercher
Bowen Blair
Mrs. Edwin J. DeCosta
Clifford C.Gregg
William V. Kahler
William H. Mitchell
Edward Byron Smith
John W. Sullivan
J. Howard Wood

CONTENTS

March 1986
Volume 57, Number 3

March Events at Field Museum

Pathways in the Maori World

by Anne Salmond

Anthropology: The Human Experience 21

by Donald McVicker and Nancy Evans

The Piping Plover: A Newcomer to the

Endangered Species List 24

by William J. Beecher

Field Museum Tours

26

COVER

Mask from gateway of a pa, or fortified Maori village, in New Zea-
land, 64 cm. (25'A in.) high, was made by the Ngati Manawa tribe
during the Te Huringa I period (1800 - present), and is in the collec-
tion of the Otago Museum, Dunedin, New Zealand. It may be seen
at Field Museum from March 8 through June 8 (members' preview
March 7) among 173 artifacts in the exhibit "Te Maori: Maori Art
from New Zealand Collections. " The exhibition was organized by
the American Federation of Arts in association with the New Zea-
land government, the Maori people, and the New Zealand lending
museums. Made possible by a grant from Mobil. Supported by the
National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the
Humanities, an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts
and Humanities, Air New Zealand, and the National Patrons of
the American Federation of Arts. For related events see pages 3-5.
Photo by Athol McCredie.

Halley Hot Line

A new Comet Halley Hot Line, to keep fans of the return-
ing comet on top of its whereabouts, went into service
on December 15.

The new high-volume commercial service allows
several thousand callers at the same time to hear a re-
corded message about the comet. The information is
provided by the United States Naval Observatory in
Washington.

For people anywhere in the United States, Canada,
Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, calls to the telephone
number, (900) 410-8766, cost 50 cents for the first min-
ute and 35 cents a minute after that.

The recorded messages will be updated regularly,
talking about the whereabouts of the comet — making its
first return visit since 1910 — and telling callers how to
locate it in the night sky. The hotline is expected to re-
main in service until April 15.

Maori Catalog at Museum Store

The exhibit catalog, Te Maori: Maori Art from New
Zealand Collections, published 1984 by Harry N.
Abrams Inc. in association with the American
Federation of Arts, is available at the Field
Museum Store at $35.00 for the hardbound and
$17.50 for the paperbound edition (10% discount
for Members). The 8V2 x II book has 244 pages,
60 color plates and numerous halftones as well
as maps.

Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin (USPS 898-940) is published monthly, except combined July/August issue, by Field Museum of Natural History. Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive.
Chicago. IL 60605-2496. Subscriptions: $6.00 annually. $3.00 for schools. Museum membership includes Bulletin subscription. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and do not necessarily
reflect the policy of Field Museum. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. Museum phone: (312) 922-9410. Notification of address change should include address label and be sent to Membership
Department. Postmaster: Please send form 3579 to Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive. Chicago. IL 60605-2496. ISSN: 0015-0703.

T

Events

T

Lintel made of wood and shell, 235 cm. (7 ft 8 in.) wide, by the Maori of the Ngati Tamatera tribe; Te Huringa period (1800 to present), in
the collection ofAukland Institute and Museum. One of 1 73 artifacts on view in the special exhibit "Te Maori: Maori Art from New Zealand
Collections. " Photo by Athol McCredie.

"Te Maori: Maori Art from
New Zealand Collections"

March 8-June 8

"Te Maori" is the first international exhibition
devoted exclusively to Maori art, one in which all
of the objects have been borrowed from the land
where they were created. The exhibition owes its
existence to the wisdom of the elders and people of
the Maori tribes of New Zealand, who have agreed
to the journey of their ancestors' treasures (taonga)
far from their homelands. These most prized and
remarkable carvings and sculptures represent all
periods of Maori art, from about 1000 to 1880, and
have been lent with the cooperation of the thirteen
New Zealand museums which house them.

"Te Maori: Maori Art from New Zealand Collec-
tions" was organized by the American Federation
of Arts in association with the New Zealand gov-
ernment, the Maori people, and the New Zealand
lending museums. The exhibition was made pos-
sible by a grant from Mobil. Supported by the Na-
tional Endowment for the Arts, the National
Endowment for the Humanities, an indemnity
from the Federal Council on the Arts and Humani-
ties, Air New Zealand, and the National Patrons of
the American Federation of Arts.

Special Opening Celebrations

Saturday, March 8

12:00 - 1:00pm; 2:30 - 4:00pm.

Craft Demonstration

Wood carving and weaving demonstrated by
members of the Maori Cultural Group of
New Zealand.

1:30pm.
Performance

Members of the Maori Cultural Group of New Zea-
land present a program of Maori music and dance.

Sunday, March 9

12:30 - 1:30pm; 3:00 - 4:30pm.

Craft Demonstration

Wood carving and weaving demonstrated
by members of the Maori Cultural Group of
New Zealand.

2:00pm.
Performance

Members of the Maori Cultural Group of New Zea-
land present a program of Maori music and dance.

These celebrations are free with museum admis-
sion. Tickets are not required.

CONTINUED -

Events

Lecture Series

Saturday, March 8, 2:30pm

James Simpson Theatre

"Tribal Arts as Symbols of New Zealand

Identity"

Sidney Moko Mead, professor of Maori,

Victoria University at Wellington,

New Zealand

Saturday, March 15, 2:30pm

James Simpson Theatre

"The Polynesian Perspective: Pacific Origins

and Migrations"

John E. Terrell, curator, Oceanic Archaeology

and Ethnology, Field Museum

Saturday, March 22, 2:30pm

James Simpson Theatre

"Maori Art in Pacific History"

Douglas Newton, chairman, Department of

Primitive Art, The Metropolitan Museum

of Art

Tickets

Individual Lectures: $5.00 (Members: $3.00)

Series of Three Lectures: $11.00 (Members: $7.00)

Fees are nonrefundable. Please use coupon to order
tickets. Seating is general admission.

Family Feature

The Face of Te Maori

Saturday and Sunday, March 15 and 16
l:00-3:00pm

The Maori People of New Zealand call their tradi-
tional tattooing moko. These decorations were
made of intricate, swirling patterns of curves and
spirals. Look at some Maori tattoos and design
your own. Take your drawing home or paint it on
your face right here at Field Museum.

Field Museum's public programs are funded, in
part, by a grant from the National Endowment for
the Humanities, a federal agency.

Performance

"An Evening of Maori Song, Dance,
and Drama"

Saturday, March 8, 8:00pm
James Simpson Theatre

Over the past 1,000 years, the Maori tribes of new
Zealand have developed a rich island culture.
Spend an evening with our Maori visitors explor-
ing the traditions of the Maori people through
myth and legends. Dressed in their native puipui
shirts and using the poi, balls twirling on string,
members of the Maori Cultural Group present dra-
matizations of their past, sing traditional songs of
greeting, love and lament, and dance the haka, a
Maori dance. Dr. Peter Sharpies concludes the pro-
gram with a dramatic reading, "I Am a Maori,"
accompanied by slides.

Tickets: $7.00 (Members: $5.00)
Fees are nonrefundable. Please use coupon to order
tickets. Seating is general admission. Theatre doors
open one hour prior to the performance.

Public Programs Information: (312) 322-8854.

Film Program

Saturday and Sunday

March 22 and 23, 1:30pm

"Children of the Mist" 30 min.

A brief history of the Tuhoe Tribe of New Zealand

is followed by a depiction of the life and problems

of this contemporary, rural Maori tribe that has

migrated to an urban area.

Film programs are free with museum admission.
Tickets are not required.

Events

"X

March Weekend Programs

Each Saturday and Sunday you are invited to explore the world of natural history at Field Museum. Free tours,
demonstrations, and films related to Museum exhibits are designed for families and adults. Listed below are only a
few of the numerous activities each weekend. Check the Weekend Passport upon arrival for the complete schedule
and program locations. The programs are partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.

1 2:00pm. China's Wondrous Animals (slide lec-
ture). Look at China's real and imaginary animals
and the lore and significance attached to them.

2 2 :00pm. Malvina Hoffman: Portraits in Bronze
(slide lecture). Explore the life and works of Malvina
Hoffman, concentrating on the Portraits of Mankind
collection.

8 12 :00 noon. Treasures from the Totem Forest (tour) .
An introduction to the Northwest Coast Indians
and the importance of their totem poles and masks.

9 1 2 :00 noon. Traditional China: The Jades (tour) .
Examine the imagery, history, and life-styles rep-
resented by Chinese jades and other masterworks.

15 1 : 30pm. Tibet Today: Refugees and a Faith in Exile
(slide lecture). Investigate Lhasa and see refugees in
Dharmsala (home of the Dalai Lama), Darjeeling,
and Sikkim.

These public programs are free with museum
admission and tickets are not required.

Edward E. Aver I i I in Series

James Simpson Theatre
1:30 pm

March — Polar Regions

6 "Never Cry Wolf"

1 3 "Nanook of the North "

20 "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" and

"Irresistible Forces"

27 "The Water Life" and

"Ice Society"

Registration

Be sure to complete all requested information on the
ticket application. If your request is received less
than one week before a program, tickets will be held
in your name at the West Entrance box office. Please

□ Member

□ Nonmember

make checks payable to Field Museum. Tickets will
be mailed upon receipt of check. Refunds will be
made only if the program is sold out.

Name

American Express/Visa/MasterCard

Card Number

Signature Expiration Date

Return complete ticket application with
a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Field Museum of Natural History
Public Programs: Department of Education
Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605-2497

Have you enclosed your self-addressed
stamped envelope?

Address

City

State

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Telephone: Daytime

Evening

Program

Number of

Member

Tickets

Number of

Nonmember

Tickets

Total
Tickets

Amount
Enclosed

Evening of Maori
Song, Dance, Drama

Lecture Series
(3 lectures)

Mead Lecture

Terrell Lecture

Newton Lecture

Total:

Nga Huarahi O Te Ao Maori

Pathways in the Maori World

by Anne Salmond

Photos by Athol McCredie

I

tn the tribal landscapes of early historic times, pathways
were cut along beaches and ridges, through bush, and beside
rivers, passing through the territory of one descent group and
into the lands of the next. A traveler in his own countryside
could name its features minutely — rocks, caves, beaches, fish-
ing grounds, points, streams, eeling pools, patches of bush,
cultivations, swamps, rat runs, trees, ridges, hills, and moun-
tains, even clumps of grass — every smallest feature had its
name, which evoked the quality of that unique place and the
ancestors who had named it or passed that way. The place
names marked the land and domesticated it, fitting it for man's
occupation; and the paths gave him direction in his jouneys.
This was whenua (land), source of life for its people.

The land was known intimately, because people moved
often in those days. War parties, groups on seasonal migration,
on trading trips, or on the way to some celebration traveled
along the paths and waterways, setting up camp and moving
through the bush in search of food. And if a group was driven
off their land or forced to migrate to a new district, they
lamented, singing their grief for the abandoned bones of their
forefathers, as in Te Rauparaha's lament for his land:

Ndku ia na koe i waiho i taku I leave, you my beloved land

whenua iti

Te rokohanga te taranga i a in this unexpected parting

tdua

Ka mini maomao au ki te iwi And greet my ancestors from a

ra ia. distance

Moe noa mai te moenga roa. lying on their beds of death. '

These fighting, singing, talking travelers were nga tangata (peo-
ple) standing on the earth between underworld (po) and the
layered heavens and managing the balance of the universe
with their battles and their spells.

Men and land dwelled together in life and death, and their
names — of places and men — crossed and crossed again in

Anne Salmond is senior lecturer in Social Anthropology at the
University of Aukland. She is also author of Hui: A Study
of Maori Ceremonial Gatherings (1975); Amiria: The Life Story
of a Maori Woman (1976); and Eruera: The Teachings of a
Maori Elder (1980).

genealogies and tribal stories. The dead were buried in their
settlements, sometimes in the very houses in which they had
lived,2 and the papa (layers) of the cosmos were echoed in wha-
kapapa (layers of descent lines) which began with po (nothing-
ness or nights) and came down to this world of light, gods, and
men:

Ka hua te wananga
Ka noho i a rikoriko
Ka puta ki waho ko te po

Ko te po nui, te po roa

Te poi tuturi, te po i pepeke

Te po uriuri. te po tangotango

Te po wawd

Te po te kitea

Te po i oti atu ki te mate.

Na te kore i ai

Te kore te wiwia

Te kore te rawea

Ko hotupu

Ko hauora

Ka noho i te dtea

ka puta ki waho te rangi e tii nei

Ko te rangi e teretere ana

i runga o te whenua

Ka noho te rangi nui e tii nei

Ka noho i a ata tuhi

Ka puta ki waho temarama

Te rangi i tu nei, ka noho i a

te werawera
Ka puta ki waho ko te ra
Kokiritia ana ki runga
Hei piikanohi mo te rangi
Ka tau te rangi
Te ata tuhi, te ata rapa
Te ata ka mahina, ka mahina te

ata i hikurangi

Ka noho i Hawaiki

Knowledge became fruitful.

It dwelt with the feeble glimmering;

And so night was born:

The great night, the long night,
The lowest night, the loftiest night.
The thick night, to be felt,
The night to be touched,
The night not to be seen,
The night of death.

From the nothing the begetting.

From the nothing the increase

From the nothing the abundance.

The power of increasing.

The living breath;

It dwelt with the empty space

and the sky above was born

The atmosphere which floats

above the earth;

The great firmament above us,

dwelt with the early dawn,

And the moon sprung forth;

The sky above us dwelt with the heat,

And the sun was born;
They were thrown up above.
As the chief eyes of Heaven:
Then the Heavens become light.
The early dawn, the early days.
The mid-day, the blaze of the day
from the sky.

The sky above dwelt with Hawaiki,

"Pathways in the Maori World" and the maps on pages 9 and 11 are from
Te Maori: Maori Art from New Zealand Collections, published in 1984
by Harry N. Abrams, Inc. in association with The American Federation of
Arts, text copyright © 1984 by Sidney Moko Mead, Agnes Sullivan, David R.
Simmons, Anne Salmond, Bernie Kernot, and Piri Sciascia.

Canoe bow cover (tiaumi) made of wood. 107
cm. (42'A in.) long, by the early Maori of the
Te Tipunga period (1200-1500). Collection of
the Aukland Institute and Museum.

MEMBERS' PREVIEW OF

Te Maori: Maori Art from New Zealand Collections

Friday, March 7
5:00 pm to 9:00 pm

At 6 : 00, Dr. John Terrell, Field Museum's curator of Oceanic archaeology and ethnology and
exhibit curator of "Te Maori," will introduce Dr. Sidney Moko Mead, professor of Maori,
Victoria University at Wellington. There will be a performance of traditional Maori songs and
dance in Stanley Field Hall following the introduction and Dr. Mead's opening remarks.
Light refreshments will be served.

"Te Maori" is the first international exhibition devoted exclusively to Maori art and
culture. These 173 remarkable heirlooms of traditional art combine major sculptures and
carvings in wood, stone, jade, bone, ivory, and shell, dating from AD 1000 to 1800. Among
the works presented from more than 30 Maori tribes are monumental architectural
sculptures, elaborate canoe carvings and equipment, weapons, tools, musical instruments,
mortuary carvings, and objects of personal adornment.

The exhibit catalog, Te Maori: Maori Art from New Zealand Collections, edited by Dr. Mead,
and Prehistory in the Pacific Islands, by Dr. Terrell, will be available for purchase.

Special arrangements for handicapped persons can be made by calling 922-9410, ext
453. The CTA #146 Marine/Michigan bus services Field Museum. Call CTA (836-7000) for
the evening schedule.

"Te Maori: Maori Art from New Zealand Collections" was organized by the American
Federation of Arts in association with the New Zealand government, the Maori people, and
the New Zealand leading museums. Made possible by a grant from Mobil. Supported by the
National Endowment for Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, an indemnity
from the Federal Council on the Arts and Humanities, Air New Zealand, and the National
Patrons of the American Federation of Arts.

Please join us for a very special evening

UNITED STATES

Midway Island

TROPIC OF CANCER

.Mariana
Islands

MICRONESIA

PACIFIC

SOUTH

PACIFIC

OCEAN

Ka puta ki waho ko Taporapora,
ko Tauwarenikau, ko Kuku-paru,
ko Wawau-atea, ko Wiwhi-te-
Rangiora

and land was bom.
Taporapora, Tauwarenikau,
Kuku-paru, Wawau-atea.

Wiwhi-te-Rangiora.3

The universe that was shaped in this series of cosmological
matings, according to the same early source, had

either ten or eleven Heavens; the lowest was separated
from the earth, by a solid transparent substance like ice
or crystal, and it was along the underside, or that next to
the earth, that the sun and moon were supposed to glide.
Above this pavement was the grand reservoir of rain,
and beyond that was the abode of the winds.

Each Heaven was distinct, the lowest being the
abode of the rain; the next of Spirits; the third of the
winds; the fourth of the light, the highest of all, being
the most glorious, and therefore the chief habitation
of the gods.4

The world was not simply a physical structure, though;
the sky was Rangi, the Sky Father, and the earth was Papa-
tuanuku, the Earth Mother, and generations of gods were born
from their mating. During the eons that they lay together, the
universe was dark and still, and very cold. Rangi clothed his
woman with trees and plants to warm her, and as the tempera-
ture rose on earth the life of the small creatures began, and
Papa gave birth to their sons, the gods. It was a terrible time for
the god-children, because there was still no light in the world
and they lay imprisoned between their parents

some lying on their sides, some were lying stretched out
at full length, some on their backs, some were stooping,
some with their heads bent down, some with their legs
drawn up, some embracing . . . some with exhausted
breath, some crawling, some walking, some feeling
about in the dark, some arising, some gazing, some
sitting still, and in many other attitudes — they were all
within the embrace of Rangi-nui and Papa.5

o Gwifc (Tieru,) made of whalebone, 13 cm. (5'/s in.) high, by the
Ngai Tahu clan. Queen Charlotte Sound; from the Te Puawaitanga
period (1500-1800). Collection of Nelson Provincial Museum. Men
tied their hair in a bun and thrust combs into the topknot.
0 Burial chest Cwaka tupapakuj made of wood, 98 cm. (38Vs in.)
high, by the Ngapuhi tribe, Northland; from the Te Puawaitanga
period. Collection of the National Museum of New Zealand, Welling-
ton. After the flesh had rotted away, the bones of dead chiefs and
other notables were painted with red ocher and placed in a waka
tupapaku, or secondary burial chest. The chest was positioned up-
right in a cave in order to frighten intruders away.

10

Ever since that timeless period of futility and frustration, dark-
ness has had awful connotations for the Maori people:

pirau: extinguished (fire, light), decay, death, rotten, pus
mate: extinguished (fire, light), decay, sick, unconscious
tinei: extinguish (fire), destroy, kill, confused, disordered

ngaro: hidden, lost, disappeared, distressed,
unavenged

It was a younger and active son, Tane the god of forests
and men, who finally broke out of this impasse. He said to his
brothers, "We must force our parents apart." They argued with

- Doubtless Bay
i/

Hokianga Harbour

Waimam;

Bay of Islands
}A,Cape Brett

Kaipara Harbour

NORTH
ISLAND

-^- Mercury Bay
\ Coromandel Peninsula
.Thames

\ Q Mayor Island

♦ •Patetonga
t Bay of Plenty

^uranga x_ „_,.-_Te Araroa

Whaingaroa Hamilton ^touranga .-TeAraroa

(Raglan Harbour)-** K Wairoa. >YMakB,.. i»Kana *~~EastCape

J^T.i'^m -^"'^"'-Maraenui ^'Hlatocia

*• *• u s~, -f*TeAwamutu ^"'f^'-Maraenui ^'Biatofla
Kawhia Harbour IT, ^ .J* 'Ruatoki ^J-vfiapu River

jWAIKAToX^o^ara.era HikurZngT* ^

Wa/fcafofl/ver^ ^\- •JotagaBay ^ac-

TASMAN SEA

Lake*
Taupog

New Plymouth* T^^/y^K/ *Tongariro

( * A Ruapehu

Taranuki (Mt. Egmont)

Waerenga-a-Hika« jihangara
^^lanutuke* Upborne

ccwsr

SOUTH
ISLAND

ii

New Zealand

12

him and disputed, but finally they agreed, and Tane used all his
strength to put props between Rangi and Papa, and light
flooded into the world. This was the first tu tangata, when the
ancestor of men stood up and asserted his power to change the
universe. The themes of this feat are echoed in "the Maori
language:

ihi: split, divide, separate; fear, dread; power, authority,
rank, essential force; a form of sacred shrine (tuahu);
spell, charm, incantation; dawn, a ray of sun
Like their ancestor Tane, men in the Maori world sought to
control the world by exerting their strength in magic and in
war:

kaha: strength; line on which niu rods are placed for di-
vination; line of an army

hau: vitality of man, land; strike, smite; food offered to
atua in propitiatory rites

Tane went on to create the first woman, Hine-hau-one,
and, while his brothers made fish, kumara, fern root, the
winds, evil and disease, war and peace, Tane slept with this
woman and made her pregnant, and so the generations of man
began. In this East Coast tribal cosmological account, as in
every other, the universe, land, gods, men, and all living crea-
tures are kinfolk bound in a tangle of shared ancestry, and this
binding of man and world was expressed in the term for the
people of any locality: tangata whenua (land men).

The principle that ordered the apparent weltering chaos of
plants, animals, objects, and men in the tribal world was
genealogy, described as the twining tendrils of the gourd plants
with its stem (tahuhu, also "main line of descent") and
branches (kawae, also "subsidiary lines") in one ancient
metaphor and still thus represented in the curving red, white,
and black paintings of the underside of the ridgepole (tahuhu)
and rafters (heke, also "descent line") of the modern meeting
house.6

Genealogy, the preeminent object of Maori scholarship,
was an aristocratic reckoning, but this was not a simple aris-
tocracy of birth. Descent lines were claimed according to their
vitality and power, and the greater the success of one's ances-
tors in war, magic, oratory, and feasting, the greater the mana
(prestige) that they passed down the descent line to their de-
scendants. This power was like the power that made plants
grow and flourish, and I have heard elders speak of one's de-
scent lines as te iho makawerau (iho of a hundred hairs):

iho: heart, kernel, pith, essence; that which contains the
strength of a thing; the principal person or guest; umbi-
lical cord; lock of hair, upward, in a superior position.
This expresses the thought that lines of descent came
down to a person like the hundred hairs on his head, bringing
him power from his ancestors and effective force in the world.
Just like a gourd plant, or a tree, a descent line might flourish
and thrive, or if its vital force is attacked in magic or in war, it
might fail altogether and die. And like the plant it is rooted in
land, as in this characteristic tribal proverb:
Ko Hikurangi te maunga
Ko Waiapu te awa
Ko Porourangi te tangata
Ko Ngati Porou te iwi.

Hikurangi is the mountain
Waiapu is the river
Porourangi is the man
And Ngati Porou the people.

The taonga whakairo (patterned treasures), the works rep-
resented in this exhibition, are above all a celebration of this
unity of men, ancestor gods, and land. It was precisely because
descent lines branched and divided, and new lines took root
elsewhere, that Maori social life and the treasures it produced
were fundamentally tribal and referred to particular land-
scapes. Aotearoa (New Zealand) ranges from subtropical habi-
tats in the north to chilly fjords in the south, and there was no
one way of living that can be described for all of the country.
Agnes Sullivan has spoken of regional differences in the
archaeological record, and David Simmons has described re-
flections of these differences in tribal art. I will turn to the early
historic accounts to try and bring these differences, and the
taonga whakairo of this exhibition into the context of tribal
life.

When Captain James Cook brought his shipload of scien-
tists, artists, and sailors south to New Zealand in 1769, they
spent six months circumnavigating the islands and anchoring
in various harbors. As they traveled, the observers on board
were struck by differences in Maori life in the various com-
munities they visited. At Anaura Bay on the East Coast, for
instance, two old chiefs came on board the Endeavour, one in a
dogskin cloak and the other wearing a cloak ornamented with
tufts of red feathers, and they accompanied Cook ashore.
About one hundred people were living at Anaura in scattered
small clusters of houses among their gardens. Monkhouse, the
surgeon on board, wrote that night:

The cultivations were truely astonishing . . . the ground
is completely cleared of all weeds — the mold broke with
as much care as that of our best gardens. The Sweet pota-
toes are set in distinct little molehills which are ranged
some in straight lines, in others in quincunx, in one Plott
I observed these hillocks, at their base, surrounded with
dried grass. The Arum (taro) is planted in little circular
concaves, exactly in the manner our Gard'ners plant
melons . . . the Yams are planted in like manner with the
sweet potatoes; these Cultivated spots are enclosed with
a perfectly close pailing of reeds about twenty inches
high.7
Joseph Banks estimated that these gardens ranged from
one-to-two to eight-to-ten acres each and totaled about one
hundred fifty to two hundred acres in high cultivation. Later
that evening Monkhouse wandered up into the hills and
visited a family of a man, his wife, two sons, and two female
servants living in a single house on its own. The husband
showed Monkhouse his paddles and digging tools and some
red ocher and brought out of his house a collection of spear
tips. The house was low and thatched, with a carved board
over the door — the first pare (door lintel) ever to be seen by a
European.

Anaura was an agricultural community, with some
carved canoes, no great quantity of greenstone goods, and not
much carving on the houses. At Tolaga, only ten miles to the
south, things were very different. The landscape was attrac-
tive; one of the artists on board said of it, "The country about
the bay is agreeable beyond description, and with proper
cultivation, might be rendered a kind of second Paradise. The
hills are covered with beautiful flowering shrubs, intermingled
with a great number of tall and stately palms, which fill the air
with a most grateful fragrant perfume."8 There were cultiva-
tions there too, but in Tolaga the local preoccupation was carv-
ing. On an island in the bay. Banks saw a carved canoe seventy

1

Pendant, fi>

naidu) maae oj

whalebone, 16 cm. (6'Ain.)hn;
the Kai Tuhu people ofOtago Heads.
Papanui Inlet; from the Te Puawaitan-
ga period (1500-1800) . Collection of
Otago Museum, Dunedin. It is doubtful
that this somewhat delicate fishhook
was used for utilitarian purposes. It is
much more likely to have been a cere-
monial hook worn as an amulet.

o Flute (koauauj made of wood, 13 cm. (5'/s in.) long, by the Te
Roroa people of the Waimamaku valley; from the Te Huringa I period
(1800- present). Collection of the Otago Museum, Dunedin. The flute
has two finger holes, with a third under the curved tip.
0 End post from storehouse (epa) made of wood, 100 cm. (39'/sin.)
high, by the Te Ati Awa tribe of North Taranaki, Waitara; from the
Te Puawaitanga period (1500-1800). Collection of Taranaki
Museum, New Plymouth.

14

feet long and a house thirty feet long filled with chips and its
side posts elaborately carved. The ship's artist added.

The men [at Tolaga] have a particular taste for carving
their boats, paddles, boards to put on their houses, tops
of walking sticks, and even their boats valens, are carved
in a variety of flourishes, turnings and windings, that are
unbroken; but their favorite figure seems to be a volute,
or spiral, which they vary many ways, single, double,
and triple, and with as much truth as if done from
mathematical draughts; yet the only instruments we
have seen are a chizzel, and an axe made from stone.*

Tolaga was a treasure trove of taonga whakairo, and it is no
coincidence that this is the place where Te Rawheoro, the
school of learning and carving skills, was founded by
Hingangaroa.

The settlements on the East Coast were undefended and
peaceful, but as the Endeavour cruised along into the Bay of
Plenty those on board saw the cliffs bristling with huge fortified
sites, fleets of canoes drawn up on the beach, and large gardens
on shore. This was evidently a densely populated and wealthy
area, where warfare was commonplace. The Endeavour was
chased and overtaken in this area by a carved double sailing
canoe, whose crew threw stones and smashed her windows.

Several days later at anchor in Mercury Bay on the Coro-
mandel Peninsula, they could observe at first hand the ravages
of war. In Mercury Bay every small rock out at sea had a
fortification perched on top, and the local people seemed mis-
erable and impoverished. The canoes that came alongside
were simple dugouts, without any decoration, and the people
on board were "almost naked and blacker than any we had
seen . . . yet these few despicable gentry sang their song of
defiance and promised us as heartily as the most respectable of
their country men that they would kill us all."10 Haka (war
dances) were a standard way of greeting strangers and not
necessarily hostile, but the Europeans knew nothing of the
proper etiquette and when provoked replied with smallshot or
musketballs. There was one good-sized fortification in the Bay
which Cook visited and described; it was defended on the land
side of its promontory by a double ditch and bank, two pali-
sades and a fighting stage, and inside the ground was laid out
in twenty palisaded divisions of one-to-two to twelve-to-
fourteen houses each. Dried fish and fern root were piled up
inside in heaps, and bundles of darts and heaps of stones were
ready on the fighting stage. The local people confided to the
Europeans (through the Tahitian interpreter, Tupaea) that they
were frequently raided from the north by warriors who cap-
tured their wives and children and destroyed all their pos-
sessions. Cook summed up the situation in Mercury Bay by
saying:

Its inhabitants . . . altho pretty numerous are poor to the
highest degree when compair'd to others we have seen;
they have no plantations but live wholly on fern roots
and fish, their canoes are mean and without ornament,
and so are their houses or hutts and in general every-
thing they have about them."
Their taonga had been utterly ransacked.

In the Bay of Islands, several hundred miles to the north,
however, there was plenty of visible wealth and this area could
well have been the home of the raiders who were making life
miserable for the people in Mercury Bay. Certainly Ngapuhi
were raiding Thames and much farther south in the very early

historic period in their fleets of sailing canoes. As the Endeavour
ran toward Cape Brett, two large canoes came out to meet her:

The strangers were numerous and appeared rich: their
Canoes were well carvd and ornamented and they had
with them many weapons ofpatoo patoos [patu] of stone
and whale bones which they value much; they had also
ribbs of whales [hoeroa] of which we had often seen
imitations in wood carved and ornamented with tufts of
Dogs hair.1-'

Clearly, we are back in taonga territory. The chiefs had dogskin
cloaks and prolific tattoos, and on shore there were large gar-
dens and fortified towns in every direction. The major local
industry appeared to be fishing, and Banks spoke with some
awe of nets four to five hundred fathoms (2,400 to 3,000 feet)
long, adding that the locals laughed a little at their own net, a
common king's seine.

Archaeological work in this area suggests that the main
cultivations were some way inland, and the coastal sites were
mainly dedicated to collecting sea resources. This area was,
like Anaura, able to support a range of cultigens, including a
few prized plants of aute (barkcloth). Agnes Sullivan's
postulates about settlement patterns would seem to be well
supported by the eyewitness accounts of the Bay of Islands.
There is also a very curious story collected by Banks just north
of the Bay which suggests that two-way voyaging may have
persisted well into the settlement period. Tupaea, the Tahitian
on board, talked to people who came out to the ship in canoes
and asked them

if they knew of any Countries besides this or ever went to
any. They said no but that their ancestors had told them
to the NW by N or NNW was a large countrey to which
some people had sailed in a very large canoe, which pas-
sage took them up a month: from this expedition a part
only returned who told their countreymen that they had
seen a countrey where the people eat hogs, for which
animal they usd the same name (Booah) [puuaa] as is
usd in the Islands. And have you no hogs among you?
said Tupia. — No. — And did your ancestors bring one
back with them? — No. — You must be a parcel of Liars
then, said he, and your story a great lye for your ances-
tors would never been such fools as to come back with-
out them."

Unfortunately Tupaea, who was also much given to lecturing
the Maori about the evils of cannibalism, was a thoroughgoing
Polynesian chauvinist.

The final place visited on this voyage was Queen Charlotte
Sound to the south of Cook Strait, where bands of hunters and
gatherers retreated to their pa (fortified settlement) on
Motuara Island where the Endeavour arrived but soon dis-
persed to open-air camps along the shoreline in groups of fif-
teen to twenty. These people had no cultivations but lived off
fern root and the local supplies of fish, and enthusiastically
hunted down their enemies. Cannibalism is mentioned for
most other places visited by Cook in 1769-70, but here it was
everyday practice. It is difficult to know who was more horri-
fied by the evidence of cannibalistic custom in New Zealand,
the Europeans or Tupaea. When they came across some
chewed human bones in a provision basket by a shore camp,
they asked the local people, "what bones are these? they
answered. The bones of a man. . . . Why did not you eat the
woman who we saw today in the water? — She was our rela-
tion.— Who then is it that you eat? — Those who are killed in 15

war. — And who was the man whose bones these are? 5 days
ago a boat of our enemies came into this bay and of them we
killd 7, of whoom the owner of these bones was one."'4

Tattoo styles, dialects, clothing, settlement patterns, and
the distribution of carving, cultivation, ornamented canoes,
greenstone, and other riches varied markedly from district to
district in these first fleeting glimpses of classic Maori life. As
one contemplates carvings and greenstone ornaments, the
great taonga of the Te Maori exhibition, it is as well to remem-
ber also the dugout canoes and rough shelters of more margin-
al populations living in many parts of New Zealand. It is not
only our hearts that might quiver at the sight of spirals and
speckled jade; in earlier times, as a war canoe's sternpost swept
around the headland and the sun splintered off the edge of a
greenstone weapon, then people's hearts quivered in earnest
and they ran for their lives to the hills. Wealth, power, and
danger came together in Maori life and thought:

kura: treasure; red, glowing (the tapu color); a taiaha
(weapon) ornamented with red feathers; red ocher;
chief man of prowess; knowlege oikarakia (prayers) and
mediation with the gods (wananga); ceremonial restric-
tion, danger.
Treasures also implied knowledge and power to converse
effectively with the gods.

Knowledge is the way to a Maori understanding of the
taonga in this exhibition, for each treasure was a fixed point in
the tribal network of names, histories, and relationships. They
belonged to particular ancestors, were passed down particular
descent lines, held their own stories, and were exchanged on
certain memorable occasions. Taonga captured history and
showed it to the living, and they echoed patterns of the past
from first creation to the present. It is not possible to give a
single account that will interpret each of these works, because
their history belongs to individual groups and each group told
its history differently. Wananga (knowledge of mediating with
the gods) and matauranga (knowledge of the past, genealogy,
chants, and spells) were treasures taken by ancestor gods and
passed down the descent lines as part of their sacred power.
Descendants claimed the knowledge of their own group and
sought to maintain its mana. Listen to the old priest Te Mator-
ohanga, who had taken part in the East Coast school of learn-
ing Te Rawheoro, speaking to his pupils in about 1865:
Attention! O Sirs! Listen! There was no universal system
of teaching in he Whare Wananga. Each tribe had its
own priests, its own college, and its own methods. From
tribe to tribe this was so; the teaching was diverted from
the true teaching by the self-conceit of the priests which
allowed of departure from their own doctrines to that of
other Whare Wananga [school of learning]. My word to
you is: Hold steadfastly to our teaching: leave out of con-
sideration that of other (tribes). Let their descendants
adhere to their teaching, and you to ours; so that if you
err, it was we (your relatives) who declared it unto you
(and you are not responsible); and if you are in the right,
it is we who shall leave to you this taonga. "

There was no one cosmos in precontact times, then, be-
cause variations in the tribal accounts extended right back to
the stories of creation; the ecological variations observed by
the first explorers were echoed in different ways of explaining
the universe. Tribal taonga were located in different conceptual
16 as well as physical landscapes, and the truth of their stories was

held to be truth within a particular tribal tradition. What they
held in common, though, was their ability to act as a focus for
ancestral power and talk.

The famous Taranaki taiaha (long staff) Te Porohanga, for
instance, was used by the fighting chief Titokowaru in the
1860s as a medium for Uenuku, his battle god. When Titoko-
waru was about to go into battle with the British, he gathered
his warriors and stood before them with the taiaha balanced
horizontally between forefinger and thumb. The spirit of
Uenuku entered the taiaha and it would turn and point to
those men who should join the war party that day.

Another taonga that is still held by its inheritors is the
greenstone tiki Mahu-tai-te-rangi. When Tahupotiki, the
younger brother of Porourangi, founding ancestor of Ngati
Porou, was forced to migrate to the South Island, some of his
followers discovered a great rock of greenstone hidden in a
cave.

They chipped off a piece and showed it to Tahu, and it
was lighter in colour than the greenstone in the water. I
suppose the sun had been beating down on the river
greenstone for years and years and turned it that dark
green colour, but the greenstone in the cave was hidden
away and it had stayed very pale. They were trying to
think of a name for it when somebody spotted some her-
rings in the river. "Hey! He inanga — herrings! It's pale
like those herrings," so they called the greenstone from
the cave "inanga." The people decided to make some-
thing from that first chip, and because it was for the chief
it had to be very fine. "How shall we carve it?"
"Oh . . . you design it like a man, he'll be the one to lead
us. Give him hands and a face and everything." "Yeah,
but don't put his tongue out because we don't want a
fighter. If he's going to be our leader we need someone
who can talk to us and tell us what to do. Just leave his
mouth open as though he's saying 'Go this way . . . no,
not that!" "And don't put a hole through his head, we
don't want him dead. Just put the string through his arm
and keep his hands up, because if his hands are down
that means his work is finished — ka pu te ruha. ka hao te
rangatahi — the old net is set aside, so you young people
go fishing. But this man, no! He's going to live with us
forever and be our guide to tell us what to do and what
not to do."

So they carved the tiki Mahu-tai-te-rangi with one
hand on his hip, and his face looking up at you all the
time.16

This is Amiria Stirling, the present holder of the tiki, talking
about its history. When she was recently interviewed on televi-
sion about old customs she wore Mahu-tai-te-rangi, and as she
spoke the tiki twisted on its cord. Her husband saw this and
said to her, "You see? Mahu-tai-te-rangi doesn't agree with
what you're saying — he's turning his back!"

Greenstone weapons were also revered and handed down
from father to son. A man would risk his life to recapture such a
weapon, and might sing in its praise:

I fasten Te Heketua's strap (round my waist)

Indeed, you are not very large

(Still), the skin is clasped as at night by a woman's legs!'7

Storehouse doorway (kuwaha patakaj made of wood, 92 cm. (36'A
in.) high, by the Ngati Kuhungunu tribe of Here taunga; Te
Huringa 1 period (1800 -present). Collection of the National Museum
of New Zealand, Wellington.

W- - WOV. „"•»-•"*'/».-'•» * *V*. -'*•*'-.

.».«.«.

%*-•_#«

. %%«•.•.

*».• #. r

17

A famous mere (hand club) was a great gift, for reasons
that are explained in this translation of an early Maori text:
The group of young people got up and put on their gir-
dles, ready to leave, and their hosts gathered for the
ritual of farewell. The chief of that fortified village took
his greenstone mere and gave it to the young visiting high
chief, and he in return presented his greenstone weapon
to his host. Those mere were manatunga (heirlooms) and
in the old custom it was proper for such men to exchange
such weapons, because they represented the descent
lines which held them in keeping. A prized greenstone
weapon was kept for a time by the descendants in one
line of descent, and then they carried it and presented it
to those in another line of descent from the tribal ances-
tor who first made it. That was the way of exchanging
those weapons.18

A woman berating the kinfolk of a man who has taken her
daughter without consent might say to them, "Come out of
your stockade. Why did you rob me of my daughter? What
property have I of yours, that you should presume to take my
precious greenstone to wear on your breast? Come outside,
that we may fight our battle.""

Greenstone heirlooms could be included in genealogies,
and all these manatunga (greenstone treasures, literally,
"standing mana") had an extraordinary power of binding, ty-
ing the living to the living in alliances, peace, and marriage,
and the living to the dead. A peace ratified by greenstone
should stand fast, and there was no more bitter treachery than
one where a greenstone treasure had already been passed over.
A weapon called Te Uira was given by Ngati Maru to Ngapuhi
during the nineteenth-century warfare, but no sooner was Te
Uira received than Ngapuhi attacked, killing many of the local
people. About fifty years later a Ngati Maru scribe wrote to the
government asking for this treasure to be returned: "If you are
the Government, and as Ngapuhi are so loyal to the Govern-
ment, you might speak to Ngapuhi, and ask them to give the
mere Te Uira back to us, the Ngati Maru. We do not ask for the
people — they are dead, but Te Uira is still in existence, nor can
it decay. . ."20

At marriages, and the funerals of great chiefs, greenstone
treasures were passed over to show loyalty and love and were
at a later time returned. The pathways of alliance were traveled
by women, children (in adoption), and greenstone, and so the
tribal groups were bound together.

Carved images also summoned up the ancestor they de-
scribed. Taylor describes how "the friends of the dead either
carved an image, which they frequently clothed with their best
garments, or tied some of the clothes of the dead to a
neighbouring tree, or to a pole; or else they painted some adja-
cent rock or stone, with red ochre, to which they gave the
name of the dead; and whenever they passed by, addressed it
as though their friend were alive and present, using the most
endearing expression and casting some fresh garments on the
figure, as a token of their love."21

The heads of dead kin were preserved for this same
reason, so that they might be wept over and cherished, and at a
funeral in the descent group they were arranged around the
head of the body, so that all the dead could be mourned and
remembered together. Today, framed photographs are used in
just this way. The chief's house of early contact times and the
modern meeting house also embody ancestors, quite literally,
18 for the house is named after some great predecessor and is built

in his likeness, with the ridgepole (tahuhu, "main line of de-
scent") as his spine, the koruru (carved head at the gable) as his
head, the outstretched bargeboards with their end carving
(raparapa) representing his arms with hands spread wide in
welcome, and the interior as his belly. When an orator stands
to speak on the marae forecourt he addresses the house by
name, and when the kin group assemble inside the meeting
house at night and lie beneath its carved side posts (poupou)
and the photographs on the wall, all of the descent group —
living and dead — have come together in the belly of their
ancestor.

The alchemy of taonga was to bring about a fashion of
men and ancestors and a collapse of distance in space-time.
The world was understood as a medium (wa) in which inter-
vals could be marked out (taki) in social space by ritual, in
groups by numbers, in physical space by boundaries, and in
time by genealogy, but within this medium distance was not
immutable. The power of kura (treasures, knowledge, chiefly
men) could give men absolute access to their ancestors. Listen
to an old Tauranga chief speaking in a great debate about a
century ago, about the canoe origins of the kumara: "As for
your canoe Tainui, it was built after my canoe Mahanga-a-tua-
mahara came here: what's more I made both these canoes, and
I still have the adzes and the priests (their history and names)
in my keeping. Of every single canoe that came here to New
Zealand, my canoe was the first!"22 His first knowledge (kura)
of the traditions of his tribe and his conviction of their absolute
validity transcended perhaps a thousand years of distance and
placed him among his ancestor craftsmen as they labored to
build their canoe on the beaches of Hawaiki.

Names, knowledge, ancestors, treasures, and land are so
closely intertwined in tribal thinking that they should never be
separated. An irony of this exhibition is that we know so little
of the history of its individual taonga, just because they have
left the keeping of their inheritors. The early collectors saw
these works as "artificial curiosities," and later as "artifacts"
and "primitive art," and they had neither the interest nor in
most cases the understanding to note anything more than a
physical description of the item, and sometimes a place and
date of collection, and an approximate label of use. The "artifi-
cial curiosities" were put in storerooms and given to museums,
which is indeed the European way of caring for relics of the
past. But the distancing and separation from people that this
involves could not be more different from the Maori way of
caring for manaaki (their treasures). It is only when a work
stays with the people, when it is touched, wept and talked
over, and takes part in their great gatherings that its history
stays alive. It is now impossible to discover the names of most
of the taonga in this exhibition — in Maori terms the only really
vital piece of information about them — or anything of their
history; because either they come from archaeological sites,
or elders refused to pass over the stories when the works were
first acquired, or their collectors did not think to ask that sort of
question, and the works have been held in museums for too
long. For all our efforts of interpretation, those of us who write
in this catalogue cannot tell the stories that really matter about
most of these works. We can only seek to demonstrate that
these objects were once — and to Maoris still are — not artifacts,
nor primitive art, but things of power.

"Well then, the works themselves stand ... in collections
and exhibitions. But are they here in themselves as the works

Club fwahaikaj made of wood. 46 cm.

(18'A in.) long, by the Ngapuhi tribe. Te

Huringa 1 period (1800 -present).

Collection of the Canterbury Museum,

Christchurch . This type of curved

wooden hand club was used for close

infighting.

19

20

they themselves are? Works are made available for public and
private art appreciation. Official agencies assume the care and
maintenance of works. Connoisseurs and critics busy them-
selves with them . . . yet in all this busy activity, do we encoun-
ter the work itself?

"However high their quality and power of impression,
however good their stage preservation, however certain their
interpretation, placing [works] in a collection has withdrawn
them from their own world . . . The works are no longer the
same as they once were. It is they themselves, to be sure, that
we encounter there, but they themselves are gone by."23
Aue, taku kahurangi e . . . Alas, my precious one . . . !

(Lament for a lost treasure)

Notes

1. Apirana Turupa Ngata and Pei Te Hurinui Jones, Nga Moteatea
(The Songs), Polynesian Society Maori Texts (Wellington: Polynesian
Society, 1959-1970), p. 92 (author's translation).

2. Richard Taylor, Te Ika a Maui, or. New Zealand and Its Inhabi-
tants. . . (London: Wertheim and Macintosh, 1855), 98.

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid, 17

5. S. Percy Smith, The Lore of the Whare-Wananga, or. Teachings of the
Maori College on Religion, Cosmogeny, and History, Polynesian Society
Memoirs, vols. 3-4 (New Plymouth, New Zealand: Avery, 1913-
1915), I, 18.

6. Anne Salmond, "Pathways in the Modern World," in Te Maori:
Maori Art from New Zealand Collections, Sidney Moko Mead, ed. (New
York: Harry N. Abrams, 1984), 112, 113.

7. John C. Beaglehole, The Journals of Captain James Cook: Addenda
and Corrigenda to Volume I, The Voyage of the "Endeavour, " 1768-1771
(Cambridge: University press, 1968), 583-584.

8. Sydney Parkinson, A Journal of a Voyage Round the World (London:
T. Becket and PA. de Hondt, 1771), 97.

9. Ibid,98.

10. John C. Beaglehole, The "Endeavour" Journal of Joseph Banks,
1768-1771 (Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1962), I, 425.

11. John C. Beaglehole, 1968, Ibid, 203.

12. John C. Beaglehole, 1962, Ibid, I: 438-439.

13. Ibid, 446-447.

14. Ibid, 455.

1 5. S. Percy Smith, Ibid, I-III.

16. Amiria Manutahi Stirling and Anne Salmond, Amiria: The Life
Story of a Maori Woman (Wellington: Reed, 1976), 162.

17. J. Prytz Johansen, The Maori and His Religion in Its Non-ritualistic
Aspects (Copenhagen: Ejnar Munksgaard, 1954), 102.

18. John White, The Ancient History of the Maori: His Mythology and
Traditions (Wellington: Government Printer, 1887-1890), IV, 125-
127, author's translation.

19. Ibid, 161.

20. Ibid, 183.

2 1 . Richard Taylor, Ibid, 62

22. White, Ibid, 17-18.

23. Martin Heidegger, Basic Writings from "Being and Time" (1927) to
"The Task of Thinking" (1964), D.F. Krell, Ed. (London: Routledge and
KeganPaul, 1978), 167.

Stockade post figure fpou whakairoj, made of wood, 175 cm. (68%
in.) high, by the Ngati Kahungunu tribe of Ahuriri; Te Huringa 1
period (1800 -present). Collection of Hawke's Bay Art Gallery and
Museum, Napier.

Anthropology

The Hu man Experience

by Donald McVicker and Nancy Evans

Robert Pickering (left), of the Museum's Department of Education, explains skeletal features to Science in
Action students Amy Bender and Edward Zubek. Photo by Nancy Evans.

s

ince the opening of Field Museum's doors
almost a century ago, schoolchildren have wan-
dered through the acres of exhibits marveling at
objects made by people from other places and
other times. Since 1966, high school students have
spent part of their summers at Field Museum dis-
covering more about these people and the times
in which they lived. Field Museum's Science in
Action program, "Anthropology: The Human
Experience," has provided Chicago-area high
school students with an opportunity to learn the

Dr. Donald McVicker is associate professor, Department of Sociology-
Anthropology, at North Central College, Chicago. Nancy Evans is
program developer. Exhibit Related Programs, of Field Museum's
Department of Education.

stories behind the artifacts on display and find out
more about the science that studies humankind
culturally and biologically.

Under the instruction of anthropologists at
Field Museum and local universities, the students
are introduced to the science of anthropology and
its subfields. The program seeks to provide stu-
dents with an understanding of the various ways
in which anthropologists study humans and how
information about them is integrated to achieve a
holistic view of human cultures. The program's
primary goal, however, is to help students gain a

Field Museum 's Science in Action program is partially supported by
grants from the University of Illinois — Chicago and the Spensley
Fund of Field Museum.

21

22

Students discovered the history of Chicago's St. Boniface Cemetery
and its "residents " through the monuments and tombstones. Here,
at the monument for those who died in the Civil War, the late John
Niemeyer, cemetery sexton, describes the cemetery's founding in
1863. Photo by Nancy Evans.

better understanding of their own and other
cultures.

Hands-on experience with artifacts, research
projects, and field work, together with lectures,
make it possible for the students to explore physi-
cal and cultural anthropology and archaeology
first hand, and give them experience in using
anthropological methods. For instance, in the
study of physical anthropology, students learn
how to determine age, sex, and cause of death by
examining skeletal material in the classroom and
in museum exhibits. A primate observation study
at Lincoln Park Zoo gives them the chance to sim-
ulate the work of the primatologist. In the study of
cultural anthropology, students discuss how peo-
ple are related to one another and how they define
their families. A kinship chart is made by each stu-
dent of his or her family to understand American
kinship structure as well as to understand the rela-
tionships between members of their families. The
students discover that even in their own culture
many differences between families are
to be found.

One of the highlights of the 1985 anthropol-
ogy program was the project associated with the
unit on archaeology. To acquaint students with
fundamental archaeological methods and give
them an appreciation of the general process of
archaeological research in a relatively short time,
a cemetery project was developed under the direc-
tion of Donald McVicker, co-author of this essay.

The cemetery project provided the Science in
Action students with a taste of archaeological
"field work," in which they gathered preliminary
data, then formulated hypotheses on the basis of
these data — steps intrinsic to the process of scien-
tific research. They learned at the outset that sur-
face survey and dating of above-ground artifacts is
the initial step in archaeological research. They
also learned that before the first shovel of earth is
turned, the right questions have to be asked.

T

JL he

he students spent nearly a week investi-
gating a Catholic cemetery in Chicago. St. Boni-
face Cemetery, on north Clark Street, was selected
for the study because it is old (founded 1863),
ethnic (German- American), religious, and small
enough for the students to become familiar with it
in the short time available. As a "residence of the
dead," St. Boniface reflects changing fashions in
tombstones and monuments, changes in Chicago's
ethnic neighborhoods, and the social organization
of the Catholics who have buried there. The
cemetery sexton, Mr. John Niemeyer (since de-
ceased) and his secretary, Ms. Jane Hengl, were
most cooperative and generous with their time.

The students' first acquaintance with the
cemetery came at Field Museum, by means of
color slides of the site; past research as well as pos-
sible future projects were discussed. The students
were also introduced to seriation, or style dating,
of artifacts. This was followed by a grand tour of
St. Boniface, with Mr. Niemeyer as guide.

Mr. Niemeyer helped the students see how
the history of the cemetery and its "residents"
could be read in the monuments and how the
monuments were distributed. He pointed out two
distinctive features that would catch the attention
of any archaeologist: first, the entire east end of
the cemetery had only flat markers for individual
graves, and these surrounded a large statue of St.
Joseph; second, in areas other than the east end,

flat markers, all of recent date and often with fam-
ily names different from those of upright monu-
ments, were arranged in odd lineal patterns. He
explained that the St. Joseph shrine represented a
change in Catholic burial practices, reflecting in
turn the economics of maintaining a cemetery.
Shrine areas, with their flat markers, can be liter-
ally mowed over by large power mowers, while
the old "marble forests" must be laboriously (and
expensively) maintained by hand.

Mr. Niemeyer explained that the second fea-
ture— the odd lineal patterns of grave arrange-
ments— reflected ethnicity as well as economics.
The St. Boniface neighborhood had undergone
changes in its ethnic composition, and most buri-
als of recent date were those of newly arrived and
less affluent Hispanic families. He also noted that
since the cemetery was running out of space, old
roads and walkways were being removed to make
way for individual graves. These less expensive
single plots were now being sold, one by one, in
rows to today's burying population.

The students were invited to ask about the
population that was buried at St. Boniface, and
their questions were developed into individual
research projects. They wanted to know how the
various ethnic groups buried at St. Boniface could
be identified on the basis of monument styles;
how information about demographic changes
could be gained from the memorials; and about
differences between Catholic and non-Catholic
cemeteries. They were also curious about the ways
in which archaeologists distinguish between the
evolution of monument types that result from
ethnic change and evolution that is due to new
social statuses emerging.

To help the students recognize how such
styles change, Ronald Weber, manager of Field
Museum's anthropology collection, gave a
presentation based on his own archaeological
research. Referring to materials in the South
American Indian exhibit, Dr. Weber explained
how he was able to date different styles of Argen-
tine burial urns. He also demonstrated how burial
urns can offer clues to social status. To further the
students understanding of stylistic variations, Dr.
Weber used ancient Peruvian ceramic vessels from
the museum storerooms to demonstrate how
changes in shape over a period of time can enable
archaeologists to arrange vessels in chronological
sequence, even when stratigraphic information
is lacking.

N,

ew learning experiences for the students
followed in quick succession. A film was shown
on the history of Graceland Cemetery, located on
Chicago's North Side, followed by a tour of the
architectural wonders of that cemetery by Mr. Bert
J. Gast of Gast Monuments, Inc. He demonstrated
how monuments and memorials reflected the life-
style of wealthy Chicagoans. A comparison be-
tween Graceland and St. Boniface dramatically
demonstrated how the study of cemeteries can re-
veal differences in socio-economic status.

Following his tour, Mr. Gast took the students
through the Gast Monument Company, where he
discussed the technology of monument manu-
facture and explained how new technologies can
influence customers' preferences in styles and
materials. His presentation impressed on the
group how archaeologists can use technological
change as a key to understanding social and
cultural choices.

Now the students were prepared to refine
their projects and to gather their data from
St. Boniface. Quite an array of projects were
attempted. Several dealt with fads in monument
types. Obelisks, draped urns and crosses, and un-
usual tree-shaped monuments received special
attention. Inscriptions as an information source
were also a popular subject of investigation.
Changes in family size and composition was in-
vestigated, life-span differences among ethnic
groups were determined, and age differences be-
tween husband and wife were traced through
the decades.

At week's end, the students presented their
reports orally, and the projects were discussed by
the group. The students returned for a final after-
noon at St. Boniface to check their data and to re-
fine their conclusions. For a finale, the students
guided their instructors on tours of the cemetery.
They had come to understand how the residence
of the dead could be used to teach us about the
society in which the deceased had once lived.

The cemetery project was an excellent oppor-
tunity for the students to learn how anthropologi-
cal methods are used in a fieldwork situation; it
also offered them fresh insights into their own cul-
ture and their own community. FH

The Piping Plover

A Newcomer to the Endangered Species List

by William J. Beecher

Ihe

l he piping plover is the bird that comes to mind
when I wish to think of nature as fragile and innocent.
I first saw it in the summer of 1934 while on a field-trip
assignment to the Indiana Dunes. Just out of high
school, my fortunes (I thought) had already peaked at
an all-time high and I was writing a bird column for
Henry Justin Smith of the Chicago Daily News.

I remember as if it were yesterday that it was still
early morning — but the ripple-marked sand was daz-
zling under the sunny sky. It was my companion, Earl
Wright, taxidermist for the Chicago Academy of Sci-
ences, who spotted the bird on the nest and the instant
he pointed to it the whole scene erupted like a minia-
ture volcano. The brooding bird slipped off the nest
with one wing trailing, as it piped a startling peep-lo!
peep-lo! This was immediately echoed by the other
adult, who had flown in from nearby with a dainty,
butterfly-like, hovering flight.

Simultaneously, several fluffs of cotton exploded
from the nest in as many directions. The chicks were,
indeed, nothing but balls of down on stilts that ran a

few steps, then froze, then ran, in a jerky, stop-
and-start fashion that was impossible to follow in the
dazzling light. These chicks were quite able to shift for
themselves, even to feed, but now the parents were
taking turns brooding them as protection from the
fierce sun. In just a few seconds it was difficult to see
where the young birds had come to rest, so well-
camouflaged were they with their sand-colored backs
and white breasts. The black eyes and bills, with a tuft
of black on the back, completed their disguise With a
cryptic touch.

I realized I had witnessed an exquisite example of
adaptation to a beach habitat. The matching sand color
of the back, with white underneath for countershading
and the broken black line, destroyed any trace of
roundness in the little birds; and the swiftness of their
accelerations and decelerations left the bewildered eye
racing ahead of where they actually were. Finally,
returning, it could see nothing because of the camou-
flage. Natural selection, in perfecting such a disguise,
computes the shortcomings of the predator's eye.

24

Only 1 7 breeding pairs of the pip-
ing plover are currently recorded
for the Great Lakes region. Photos
courtesy the Chicago Academy of
Sciences.

The piping plover 's nest is just a

depression in the sand. The number

of eggs, which are creamy white,

speckled with brown, is usually three

or four.

I was as thrilled as if I had just witnessed a
miraculous apparition; but now that was gone and the
chicks were no longer to be seen.

I now turned my attention to the adults, who were
still creating a riot as Earl pretended to be fooled by first
one and then another broken-wing act. The adults
were also beautifully camouflaged, with sand-colored
backs and heads. Their white underparts, reflecting the
sand, became the same color as the back. The black
band around the neck and the forehead slash, much
more prominent than in the chicks, conspired with the
black-tipped bill and the eyes to create the cryptic
broken line that shattered the now flat and sand-
colored object into three fragments. Of course, the
seven-inch long adults were much easier to see and
their stops and starts were not so dazzlingly swift.

However, the plovers' long legs raise their bodies
sufficiently above their shadows cast on the sand to
nearly defeat the predator's scheme for breaking
through camouflage; watch the shadow to see the true
form of the wizard! The white underparts are not com-
pletely erased by the reflected color of the sand. Partic-
ularly on the breast and face, white is seen when the
bird is broadside or facing the observer and standing
still. When it moves, you see a streak of white that
might be a low-flying object, since the twinkling
orange-yellow legs are not noticed. But let the bird
just turn its back, even without moving forward, and it
disappears.

Today the piping plover is in trouble. In December
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared it an en-
dangered and threatened species. Quite possibly its
numbers have been reduced because our burgeoning
human populace has cut down the number of pristine
beaches; moreover, in those beaches that do remain.

our recreational activities take place during the critical
months of June and July, when nesting occurs.

This is not the first time that the birds have suffered
from human intrusion. Before 1900 the species was
almost wiped out by shorebird hunting during the
spring and fall migrations, and in that year the federal
government put a ban on hunting the piping plover
year-round. By the 1920s, it was again common on the
Eastern Seaboard, but I am not sure that it was ever
really abundant. Perhaps the piping plover is one of
those fragile species that prefers remote wilderness
places. With their large and beautiful eyes, with plum-
age soft and spotless, they typify for me the same kind
of wild, unalarmed innocence that I have seen in
Thompson's gazelles, gazing at my Land Rover as it
roared across the East African plains.

From Saskatchewan to Nova Scotia, south to the
southern Great Lakes, the beaches of lakeshore and
seashore are where the pipers' nests are under attack.
On New York's Long Island only 100 breeding pairs are
currently reported, and only 17 breeding pairs are re-
corded in the entire Great Lakes region. The southern
beaches from Georgia to Texas and northern Mexico
are also under siege, and the plaintive call of the piping
clover and the lost-soul cries of curlews, which are the
voices of such wild places, are now less often heard.

Fragile they are, and a new human ethic is needed
to recognize that these are fellow species on the planet
who have a right to exist, not for what they do for us,
but for their own sake. Fragile, yes. But I have seen the
ancient castle ruins of Europe and know that it is the
soft, living things endlessly replicating a fine-honed
genetic code, that endure.

Dr. Beecher is director emeritus of the Chicago Academy of Sciences.

Tours for Members

For reservations, call or write Dorothy Roder (322-8862), Tours Manager, Field Museum,
Roosevelt Rd. at Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, II 60605

New Zealand Cultural Expedition

April 14 — May 4

Price: $4,675
(double occupancy)

The Maori people of New Zealand welcome you to their country and
their hearts with this unique opportunity to live and share with them in a
rich cultural adventure. This is the first year American tour groups have
been allowed to stay with the Maori in their traditional meeting houses,
where we will be ceremonially initiated into Maori society. This once-in-
a-lifetime chance is offered to Field Museum members in conjunction
with our forthcoming exhibit, "Te Maori: Maori Art From New Zealand
Collections," and is led by Dr. John Terrell, curator of oceanic archaeology
and ethnology at Field Museum.

Xian is our next stop. Once the largest city in the world, dressed in imperial
splendor, it served as capital of eleven dynasties. It was a major trade route
link in the 7th and 8th centuries, but is now primarily known for the
discovery there of the vast life-size terra cotta army buried with an ancient
emperor.

Shanghai is currently China's largest, most populous and urbanized
city. It has a western flavor even today. The contrast of the "Old Town"
which is typically Chinese, and the 1930s high-rise district is startling.
Guilin is perhaps the most beautiful city in China, situated on a lush green
plain laced with rivers and lakes. A cruise on the Li River shows off this
region's spectacular scenery and its "stone forest" of amazing rock forma-
tions. Our next visit is to Guangzhou (Canton), an interesting city that is
increasingly integrating with Hong Kong. It is the most important trade
and industrial center in southern China and has a subtropical flavor with
its verdant parks, world-famous cuisine and boisterous atmosphere. On to
Hong Kong for a day before returning to Chicago via Tokyo.

26

The Great Silk Route of China

May 21 — June 15
$4,500

The silk route linked China, Central Asia, Persia, the Middle East, and
Europe nearly 2,000 years ago, giving birth to the exotic and spectacular
oasis cities of Xinjiang Province. Merchants carried more than silks, silver,
and spices along this route, however; they also carried ideas, traditions,
and Buddhism. Field Museum will trace the Chinese portion of this great
caravan highway, bringing to you not only a sense of Chinese history, but
the movements of history itself. We fly from Chicago to Tokyo and from
there to Beijing, where touring will include the Forbidden City, the Temple
of Heaven, the Summer Palace, the National Museum, and to the north,
the tombs of the Ming Emperiors and the Great Wall.

In Urumqui we get our first taste of the silk route as this exotic, green-
blanketed oasis thrives amidst bleak desert, highlands, and the snow-
capped peaks of the Tianshan Mountains. It is the capital of the Xinjiang
Uygur Autonomous Region, populated mostly by the Uygur Muslims and
showing their influence in all aspects of its life. Huge mosques dominate
the city; the people strictly observe their religious festivals and dress in
distinctive costumes, the older women wearing veils, as they keep their
traditions. Turpan is likewise an oasis in the desert, a small but richly exo-
tic caravan city still bustling with colorful bazaars. From here you can visit
the ruins of two ancient silk route cities, destroyed by Genghis Khan, but
yet beautiful in the golden sand.

Dunhuang, our next stop, proves the importance of the silk route in
dispersing new ideas and new religions. Here we find one of the world's
priceless troves of Buddhist art. The Magao Caves, the oldest Buddhist
shrines in China, were begun in A.D. 366 by a monk who saw a vision of a
thousand golden Buddhas. Hundreds of caves have been carved out of the
sandstone cliffs in a layered honeycomb pattern, connected with wooden
walkways and ladders. Carved over a period of a thousand years, these
grottoes bear witness to the changing artistic style and daily lives of the
Chinese people. Some of the statues show an Indian influence. The walls
of these caves are carved with niches containing brilliantly painted sta-
tues, and the ceilings are painted with murals depicting the life of Buddha,
Chinese mythology, religious stories, and the daily activities of the local
people.

Lanzhou is another important caravan city and garrison town since
ancient times. If the water level is high enough, we will take a river trip to
Binglingsi, a Buddhist monastery with rarely seen monumental carvings.

The Classical Mediterranean

May 24 — June 8

What better way to sail the blue Mediterranean than aboard the legen-
dary Sea Cloud? The largest private sailing ship ever built, she retains the
elegance of the past while offering contemporary comfort. In addition to
many other pons, we visit Rome, Pompeii, Tunis, Malta, Naxos, Cephalo-
nia, and Athens. The program will be enhanced by a series of educational
lectures and discussions presented by accompanying faculty, offering in-
sight into the art, architecture, archaeology, and culture of the civilizations
that once thrived on these shores. Richard De Puma, a Field Museum
research associate in the Department of Anthropology and associate pro-
fessor at the University of Iowa's School of Art and Art History will be tour
escort. He earned his Ph.D. in classical archaeology and knows intimately
the ancient sites to be visited on this tour. Dr. De Puma has worked exten-
sively in archaeological research and excavations of ancient Mediterra-
nean cultures, has written numerous articles and books, been involved in
several museum exhibitions of classical antiquities and has recently
attended two international congresses on Etruscan archaeology and cul-
ture. He is an exceptional lecturer and leader.

North Cape and Spitzbergen

June 27- July 12

Sail to the Land of the Midnight Sun, to the North Cape, where the sun
shines 24 hours a day, aboard the "ultra deluxe" Vistafjord. This Five-Star
ship represents the very epitome of ocean-going elegance: impeccable ser-
vice, first-class cuisine, dazzling entertainment, luxurious living, and un-
rivaled attention to detail.

June 28. Embarkation from Hamburg, Germany. Here on the River
Elbe is one of Europe's brightest and most exciting cities. Explore the
entertainments of the St. Paul district, go sightseeing to City Hall and
shopping along the busy Mockebergstrasse, or drive out to the peace and
quiet of the picturesque Alster Lakes.

June 30. Molde, Norway. An unusually warm climate graces this
delightful Norwegian town, which lies in the path of the Gulf Stream. Of

b fc » A * f

special note: Romsdal Museum, an open-air compound of carefully
assembled wooden houses dating back to the time of the Vikings. Aan-
dalsnes, Norway. This small, picturesque village on the banks of the
Rauma River lies below the soaring mountains and tumbling waterfalls of
the Romsdal Valley. Ascend Stifjell mountain and cross the lofty bridge
over Stigfoss Waterfalls. There are superb views down the Isterdal Valley, a
fertile land filled with quiet peaceful farms.

July 3. Magdalena Bay, Spitzbergen. Massive glaciers in Spitzbergen's
mountains inch their way down to the sea and Magdalena Bay, providing
one of the world's most awesome natural spectacles. Cruising Lillehhok
Fjord. Sailing past New Aalesiind.

July 4. Longyearbyen, Spitzbergen. This is Spitzbergen's main settle-
ment, located at the head of Advent Bay. It looks out on a coastline of
seals, walrus, whales, and thousands of seabirds. Longyearbyen was
named by an American engineer who founded it in 1906; the search for
coal is still pursued in nearby Barentsburg.

July 5. Skarsvaag, Norway. Here is the most northerly point in Europe.
Up the road and across the tundra from Skarsvaag, you will have a rare
and awe-inspiring opportunity— a chance to stand on 1,000 ft. cliffs with
nothing but polar ice-pack between you and the Arctic Ocean. In the sum-
mer, as you shall see, the sun shines all the time — 24 hours a day.
July 6. Hammerfest, Norway. The brightly painted houses of the
world's most northerly town contrast greatly with the harsh hills which
are its backdrop. The attractive little shops offer a wide array of fine crafts,
and the Hammerfest Museum records more than 200 years of the town's
rich history.

Tromso, Norway. Sheltered by the islands along this craggy coastline,
Tromso has long been an important fishing port and the largest city along
the Arctic Circle. It was from Tromso that the famous explorer Admund-
sen staged his great expedition to the North Pole.

July 7. Narvik, Norway. This shipping port along the ice-blue fjords is
surrounded by snow-tipped peaks that rival any in the country. Visit the
crystal clear Rombaksfjord, which can be crossed via a magnificent new
suspension bridge, then continue on to Bjerkvik and Gratangen, where
you'll be surrounded by some of northern Europe's most beautiful
wildflowers.

July 8. Sailing past the Arctic Circle and several seaside towns.
July 9. Hellesylt, Norway. An excellent starting point for excursions
through a land where mountains soar to dizzying heights and waterfalls
spread their lacework across the cliffs. Visit the orchards strung together in
a brilliant garland of blossoms.

Geiranger, Norway. Geiranderfjord is one of the most splendid in all
of Norway, enclosed on both sides by precipitous walls of rock. Visit
Geiranger's tiny octagonal church, ascend Mt. Diasnibba and take in a
magnificent panoramic view of the mountains, lakes and waterfalls. And
save time to visit Tystig branch of Europe's most enormous glacier.
July 10. Bergen, Norway. This town of seven hills was founded in 1070
and is now one of Norway's major seaports. Windows on its past include
the 13th-century fortress of Bergenhus, the Rosenkrantz Tower and
Edvard Grieg's home at Troldhaugen, while present day Norway is typi-
fied by the busy fish and flower market.
July 12. We disembark in Hamburg, Germany.

Bertram G. Woodland, curator of petrology at Field Museum, will
accompany the tour. He received his B.Sc. (honors) at the University of
Wales and his Ph.D. at the University of Chicago. He will enrich this lovely
cruise with his thorough knowledge of the rock formations and geologic
history of the fjords, and discussions on the many interesting excursions.
Working as a lecturer/tour leader is not a new experience for Bert, as he
has escorted Field Museum groups through England and Wales (his native
country), Galena, Illinois and several Grand Canyon rafting expeditions.

English Homes and Country Tour

July 1-15
price $2, 725 (double occupancy)

England is unique. That it is a land steeped in history, mystery and legend
as only antiquity brings is common knowledge, but consider this: it is a
country where tea is taken at 3pm and high tea at 6pm, where tea is "cha,"
but the slang "what cha" means "how are you?" In England, when you
tread on someone's toes, they say sorry! and they live in Barking, Shellow
Bowells, and Nether Wallop.

Instead of a rushed visit around the whole country the emphasis is on
the southeastern counties, where charming thatched villages complement
vast cathedrals and living hedgerows set off lush royal gardens. Here, we
travel the paths of history and culture exploring many of Britain's "trea-
sure houses," viewing their fabulous private collections within their
architectural context and amidst their natural landscapes. Best of all, this
tour offers the discriminating traveler an opportunity to experience Eng-
land through the eyes of the English people who will be our hosts and
hostesses. These include baronets, generals, company directors, doctors,
members of Parliament, and landowners. Their homes range from man-
sions to more modest yet extremely comfortable cottages. Accommoda-
tions include private bathrooms.

Come and visit this 'tied to the past' yet forward-looking and charm-
ing country. Inquire into the customs and foibles of the people as you tour
with not only a local guide, but with a scholar from Field Museum, who
was born and raised in this remarkable country. Dr. Peter Crane got his
Ph.D. in botany at the University of Reading. He is an associate curator in
the Department of Geology at Field Museum and was recognized as one of
ten "Outstanding Young Citizens" by the Chicago Junior Association of
Commerce and Industry in 1985. He is excited about this unusual travel
opportunity in his native country and invites you to join him and his
countrymen in an exploration of English Homes and Country.

Alaska

$4,885
July 2-16

Experience the Great Land. Descriptions of Alaska are filled with super-
latives— a state more than twice the size of Texas with a population less
than that of Denver, 33,000 miles of coastline, 119 million acres of forest,
14 of the highest peaks in the United States culminating in Mt. Denali
(formerly Mt. McKinley), at 20,320 feet. Alaska is equally a land of wild-
life superlatives, from her great herds of caribou to swarming seabird
rookeries to surging salmon in migration. When one thinks of Alaska one
thinks of wilderness, of nature still fresh and undomesticated, of experi-
ences dreamed of but mostly unavailable to us of the lower 48.

Join us for an Alaskan odyssey through a wide range of habitats from
the rockbound fur seal and sea bird colonies of the Pribilofs, to the drip-
ping forest and calving glaciers of the southeast, to the grandeur of the
Alaskan Range, to the Fjordlike quiet and beauty of the inland passage.

Our travels will be by plane, train, bus, boat, and foot — whatever best
enhances our experience. Emphasis will be on the land, its history, its
wildlife. Interpretation combined with direct observation will provide an
enjoyment and quality of experience unavailable to the casual visitor.
Whatever your interest in natural history — marine mammals, birding,
mountains, photography, flowers, forests, glaciers, rivers — this tour will
show you Alaska in all its diversity and splendor.

Dr. David Willard, manager of Field Museum's bird and mammal col-
lections, will be tour leader. He received his Ph.D. in Biology at Princeton
University, where he was acting curator of Princeton Museum of Orni-
thology. He has been on a number of research expeditions for Field
Museum. His experience in bird and animal identification and his experi-
ence as a tour leader will enrich this expedition for you. He invites you to
share in the beauty of Alaska this summer.

Grand Canyon Adventures

August 13-22

August 22-31

$1,650

Field Museum Tours is offering two trips to the Grand Canyon in 1986.
The first, August 13-22, is a geology study trip hiking down the north rim
of the canyon, rafting for four days along the bottom and hiking back up
the south riom. The second, August 22-31, is a rafting trip along the entire
300-mile length of the canyon by two motorized rubber rafts. Dr. Matthew
H. Nitecki, curator of fossil invertebrates, leads both. A deposit of $50 per
person will hold your space.

For further information or to be placed on our mailing list, call or write Dorothy
Roder. Tours Manager, Field Museum, Roosevelt Rd. at Lake Shore Dr., Chica-
go, 1L 60605. Phone: 322-8862. 27

Field Museum of Natural History
Membership Department
Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive
Chicaso, IL 60605-2499

IISTORY JBULLET1N

peration and Conflict in Lion Societies"
Illustrated Lecture by Anne Busey
Saturday, April 26, 2:00pm

See Page 3

Field Museum
of Natural History
Bulletin

Published by

Field Museum of Natural History

Founded 1893

President: Willard L. Boyd

Editor/ Designer: David M. Walsten
Production Liaison: Pamela Stearns
Staff Photographer: Ron Testa

Board of Trustees

Richard M. Jones

Chairman
Mrs. T. Stanton Armour
George R. Baker
Robert O. Bass
Gordon Bent
Mrs. Philip D. Block HI
Willard L. Boyd
Henry T. Chandler
Worley H. Clark
Frank W. Considine
Stanton R. Cook
William R. Dickinson, Jr.
Thomas E. Donnelley II
Thomas J. Eyerman
Marshall Field
Ronald J. Gidwitz
Clarence E. Johnson
John James Kinsella
Hugo J. Melvoin
Leo F. Mullin
Earl L. Neal
James J. O'Connor,
Robert A. Pritzker
James H. Ransom
John S. Runnells
Patrick G. Ryan
William L. Searle
Robert H. Strotz
Mrs. Theodore D. Tieken
E. Leland Webber
Blaine J. Yarrington

Life Trustees

Harry O. Bercher
Bowen Blair
Mrs. Edwin J. DeCosta
Clifford C.Gregg
William V. Kahler
William H. Mitchell
Edward Byron Smith
John W. Sullivan
J. Howard Wood

CONTENTS

April 1986

Volume 57, Number 4

April Events at Field Museum

Stephen C. Simms as a Collector of
North American Indian Material Culture

by James VanStone

Curator of North American Archaeology and Ethnology

Spring Wildflowers of the Chicago Area 11

by Floyd A. Swink

Robert H. Denison, In Memoriam 19

by Rainer Zangerl, Curator Emeritus,

and William D. Turnbull, Curator of Fossil Mammals

Painters at Field Museum

by David M. Walsten

20

Field Museum Tours for Members

26

COVER

American bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) . This lifelike diorama
is one of 1,200 portable exhibits available on loan to Chicago-
area schools. Under the auspices of the Department of Educa-
tion's N. W. Harris Public School Extension, some 5,000
loans of such portable natural history exhibits were made to
schools in the Chicago area in 1985. This community service
has been provided by Field Museum for more than 70 years.
Photo by Diane Alexander White.

Ninth Annual Spring Systematics Symposium

Saturday, May 10, 8:50am to 4:30pm

This year's symposium topic is "Evolution of Human
Hunting" and features ten invited speakers. The pre-
registration fee (until April 10) is $10. Registration after
that date is $15. Registration forms may be obtained by
writing Dr. H. M. Nitecki at Field Museum; they may
also be obtained at the Museum on the morning of May
10 before the talks begin.

Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin (USPS 898-940) is published monthly, except combined July/August issue, by Field Museum of Natural History. Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive.
Chicago, IL 60605-2496. Subscriptions: $6.00 annually. $3.00 for schools. Museum membership includes Bulletin subscription. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and do not necessarily
reflect the policy of Field Museum. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. Museum phone: (312) 922-9410. Notification of address change should include address label and be sent to Membership
Department. Postmaster: Please send form 3579 to Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive. Chicago, IL 60605-2496. ISSN: 0015-0703. Second class postage paid at

Events

"T

A

"Cooperation and Conflict
in Lion Societies"

Anne Pusey

Assistant Professor, Department of Ecology
and Behavioral Biology, University of Minnesota
Saturday, April 26, 2:00pm
James Simpson Theatre

Using the diverse environments of Africa's
Serengeti National Park and the nearby Ngoron-
goro Crater, Anne Pusey and Craig Packer are
studying how lions, the "superpowers" of the ani-
mal kingdom, have evolved strategies for getting
along with one another.

Tanzania's Serengeti Plain stretches over
10,000 square miles of temperate highlands, just
south of the equator. Vast herds of wildebeest,
gazelle, zebra, and eland migrate annually across
this plain. All are prey for one of the largest
remaining lion populations in the world — more
than one hundred lions in an area of about 100
square miles. Drs. Pusey and Packer have spent
six months of each of the past seven years observ-
ing the ecology and behavior of these fascinating
creatures.

Lions are the only social members of the cat
family and exhibit a wide range of cooperative be-
haviors. Lions' basic social unit is the pride — a
permanent social group consisting of 2 to 18 adult
females and their offspring and 1 to 7 resident
males. Prides occupy the same area for genera-
tions. The issues studied by Anne Pusey and Craig
Packer concern conflict both between and within
the sexes. How do the males in a pride cooperate
and compete with each other in their quest for
females? Why do some males remain solitary,
while others find lifetime male companions?
What makes groups of males voluntarily abandon
a pride and move on to a neighboring pride?

Join us for this richly illustrated slide lecture,
as Dr. Pusey explains how the "trade-offs"
balancing mutual benefit and individual gain
have molded lion societies in east Africa.

Anne Pusey together with Dr. Craig Packer
has, during the last seven years, joined a series of
scientists who are studying lions in the Serengeti.
This research has been continuous for almost
twenty years. Dr. Pusey received her M. A. from
Oxford University and her Ph.D. from Stanford
University. She was research assistant under Jane
Goodall at Gombe National Park in Tanzania,
studying mother-infant relationships in chimpan-

zees, and spent three additional years at Gombe
studying the adolescent members of this species.
In 1978 she was appointed research scientist at
the Serengeti Research Institute, also in Tanzania.
Since that time the focus of her research has been
an ongoing field study of lions in the Serengeti.

Tickets: $6.00 (Members: $4.00)

Fees are nonrefundable. Please use coupon to
order tickets. Seating is general admission.
Theatre doors open one hour prior to this lecture.
Public Programs Information (312)322-8854.

Family Feature

Out of the Night of Darkness: The Maui Legends

Saturdays, April 12 and 19
2:00pm

Some say Maui was born at the edge of the sea,
some say he was born fully grown. Some say he
can change into many different shapes. Join us at
the Maori meeting house for a dramatization of
some of the many Maori legends about the clever
and amazing Maui.

Monthly Family Features are free with
Museum admission and tickets are not required.

Te Maori

Film Program

"Tahere Tiki Tiki, the Making of a Maori Canoe" (30 m.

April 26 and 27

1:30pm

Explore the superb craftsmanship that goes into
the design and production of these seaworthy
vessels. This film is free with Museum admission
and tickets are not required.

Edward E. Aver Film Series

Thursdays in April
James Simpson Theatre
1:30pm

April — A selection of films by Japanese

Filmmaker Akiro Kurosawa
3 Seven Samurai 141m.

10 Throne of Blood 105m.

17 Dersu Uzala 137m.

24 Kagemusha 159m.

continued -»

Events

April Weekend Programs

Each Saturday and Sunday you are invited to explore the world of natural history at Field Museum. Free tours,
demonstrations, and films related to ongoing exhibits at the Museum are designed for families and adults. Listed
below are only a few of the numerous activities each weekend. Check the Weekend Passport upon arrival for the
complete schedule and program locations. The programs are partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts
Council.

April
5

12

13

11:00am. Ancient Egypt (tour). Explore the
traditions of ancient Egypt from everyday life
to myths and mummies.

1:00pm. Spring Wild/lowers (tour). View
wildflowers seen in the woods, meadows,
and prairies of the Chicago area.

12:30pm. Museum Safari (tour). Seek out big
game from Africa and mummies from
ancient Egypt as you travel through Field
Museum exhibits.

12:00 noon. Life in Ancient Egypt (tour).
Focus on the objects and practices which
illustrate ancient life in the Nile Valley.

19 1:30pm. Treasures from the Totem Forest
(tour). A walk through Museum exhibits
introduces the Indians of southeast Alaska
and British Columbia, their totem poles and
masks.

20 1:00pm. Spring Wildflowers (tour). View
wildflowers seen in the woods, meadows,
and prairies of the Chicago area.

26 12:30pm. Museum Safari (tour). Seek out big
game from Africa and mummies from
ancient Egypt as you travel through Field
Museum exhibits.

27 1:30pm. Traditional China: the Jades (tour).
Examine the imagery, history and lifestyles
represented by Chinese jades and other
masterworks.

These public programs are free with museum admission and tickets are not required.

Registration

Be sure to complete all requested information on the
ticket application. If your request is received less
than one week before a program, tickets will be held
in your name at the West Entrance box office. Please

make checks payable to Field Museum. Tickets will
be mailed upon receipt of check. Refunds will be
made only if the program is sold out.

□ Member

□ Nonmember

Name

American Express/Visa/MasterCard

Card Number

Address

City

Stale

Zip

Signature

Return complete ticket application with
a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Field Museum of Natural History
Public Programs: Department of Education
Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605-2497

Expiration Date

Telephone: Daytime

"Cooperation and Conflict in Lion Societies"

Evening

Member

Tickets

# Requested

Nonmember

Tickets
# Requested

Total

Tickets

Requested

Amount

Stephen C. Simms as a Collector

Of North American Indian Material Culture

fy JAMES W. VANSTONE

Curator of North American Archaeology and Ethnology

Among early curators associated with the Depart-
ment of Anthropology, the research of Stephen
Chapman Simms was typical. Although not a trained
anthropologist, he undertook considerable fieldwork
and confronted many of the problems faced by North
American ethnographers, particularly those associated
with museums, at the turn of the century. This was a
time when newly established museums were building
their basic collections, and for a museum curator the
collection of material objects took precedence over all
other aspects of ethnographic research.

Stephen C. Simms joined the staff of Field Colum-
bian Museum (later to be called Field Museum of Natural
History) in 1894, during the institution's first year, as
assistant curator of Industrial Arts. In 1898, he was
appointed assistant curator of Ethnology and was a staff
member of the Department of Anthropology for 14
years. The N.W. Harris Public School Extension, fore-
runner of the Museum's Department of Education, was
established in 1912 and Simms was appointed curator of
the new department. In 1928, he was selected by the
Board of Trustees to be director of the Museum, a posi-
tion which he held at the time of his death on January
28, 1937.

At the time of Simms's appointment to the Depart-
ment of Anthropology, George A. Dorsey was the cura-
tor in charge, having joined the Museum staff in 1896.
He was to hold that position for 20 years and exerted a
major influence on the development of the department
and its collections. During his first 10 years at the
Museum, Dorsey concentrated on building the North
American Indian collections. He accomplished this
through a series of expeditions and collecting trips,
which he undertook himself or entrusted to various assis-
tant curators, of which Simms was the first. In those
days, the curator of a scientific department at Field Co-
lumbian Museum had complete charge of all departmen-
tal activities. Assistant curators did not simply decide on

Stephen C. Simms shown when he was serving as director of Field
Museum. 66207-A

their own when or where to do fieldwork; they were "dis-
patched" by the curator.

Simms appears to have made his first field trip for
the Museum to the Iroquois on the Six Nations Reserve
in Ontario during the fall of 1900. In early January 1901 ,
he was sent to Arizona for three months to collect pri-
marily among Athapaskan-speaking peoples who were
not previously represented in the department's collec-
tions. With this field trip begins a correspondence be-
tween Simms and Dorsey which clearly demonstrates
the views held by the latter with reference to the collect-

. t

Beaded shirt collected by S. C. Simms among the Plains Cree in 1903. Photo by Ron Testa. 108675

ing of ethnographic specimens and the assistant curator's
struggles to live up to the expectations of his superior.

Simms apparently experienced some difficulties
and frustrations during his fieldwork in Arizona.
Although expressing determination, he ruefully noted
in his letters to Dorsey that his collecting was inhibited
by the fact that many families were away from their set-
tlements hunting and that prices were being driven up by
commercial curio buyers. Writing from Phoenix on Jan-
uary 26, 1901, he noted that "a peculiar feature of my
house to house canvas [sic] [among White River
Apaches] developed the fact that of my two days [work?]
so far I came across but two men in different families and
a few things I wanted I could not get because the hus-
band, son or brother was not in and 'he might not like
if I sell.'"

In answering this letter, Dorsey, writing on Janu-
ary 31 to Simms who was by then in San Francisco, ex-
pressed dissappointment that his colleague did not get
to some of the Indian villages in Arizona where he had
planned to visit.
You must remember that in this work there are difficul-
ties and vexations; and delays and disappointments

Remember that you are after stuff and to get that clean it
up and do your whole duty to yourself and to the
Museum. You are absolutely compelled to get to out of
the way places; to suffer inconveniences and on occa-
sion suffer hardship. When you get into an indian's
house and you do not find the old man at home and
there is something you want, you can do one of three
things; go hunt up the old man and keep hunting until
you find him; give the old woman such price for it as she
may ask for it running the risk that the old man will be
offended or steal it. I have tried all three and have no
choice to recommend.

Do not leave anything behind that is to follow or
rest content with the statement of some missionary or
agent that they will get it for you . . . but follow it up, get
it and bring it back with you by freight.

Please remember this also that I shall expect you on
your arrival here to be able to distinguish without the
slightest doubt the difference between a Pima and Ute
and Walapai and Maricopa and Apache basket and that
is in their unfinished condition and want you to buy a
[P]apago basket from the Papago Indian and to know
that she is actually a [Papago] Indian and she is making
the old time Papago basket, etc. I would rather have one
good unfinished or brand new basket from any one of the
tribes down there that is absolutely identified than any
quantity of such baskets as you shipped in by express
which were not thoroughly well identified and as you
must already know we have a good big bunch of uniden-
tified basketry from the Southwest. All this of course is
not in the nature of a reproof or anything of the sort but
to stimulate you even to a greater effort and more abun-
dant success. You can easily imagine that I am for very

George A. Dorsey, who served as curator of Anthropology during the years
that Simms was a member of that department. 108072

many reasons deeply concerned in the final results of
this, your first collecting trip of any series [sic] magni-
tude. Overcome difficulties and make yourself thor-
oughly master of the situation on this occasion and the
west if [sic] yours from this time on for a good many
years.

On his return trip, Simms passed once more
through Arizona and on February 2 was the recipient of
more collecting advice from Dorsey. He was advised to
"clean up" reservations and told that "when you cannot
get stuff, get information." A "clean sweep" was impor-
tant on this trip because Dorsey did not believe that the
region was worth a second trip when there were so many
areas poorly represented in the Museum's collections.

Two weeks later on February 15, Dorsey gave Simms
the benefit of more of his views concerning the role of
the field collector.

The fact that it costs you thirty days to make a trip to
find six Indians among which you cannot possibly spend
more than $10.00 does not by any means mean that you
should not make the trip. On the contrary we often find
[it] a most advantageous expenditure [of time and
money]. What you pay for the specimen is not what it is
worth when it is laid down here in the Museum. The
extensions of the idea of our knowledge concerning the
artifact or instrument or game may be worth more than
money paid, although to make this extension you may
have to expend $30 or $40 in personal traveling ex-
penses and perhaps not more than $8 for purchase.

Although over the years Dorsey expressed similar
views on ethnographic collecting to a numbet of col-

One of sixteen war shields collected fry S. C. Simms on the Crow reserva-
tion in Montana in 1902. Photo by Ron Testa. 11190

leagues and field workers, it would be difficult to imagine
a more comprehensive statement of his philosophy, both
with reference to collecting methodology and the docu-
mentation of collections, than is included in these let-
ters. Although Dorsey seems at times critical and
perhaps somewhat overbearing in this correspondence,
he and Simms appear to have remained on friendly, if
not intimate, terms throughout the 14 years that the lat-
ter was a curator in the Department of Anthropology.

In late 1901 and in the summer of 1902, Simms
made two collecting visits to the Crow and Cheyenne
reservations in Montana. On the second of these trips he
made a fine collection of Crow shields, documented
with histories, symbolic interpretations, and owners'
names. This was one of the most noteworthy additions
to the Museum's Plains Indian collections. Simms al-
ways regarded this field trip to Montana as his most suc-
cessful effort as a collector.

Dorsey, on one of his own expeditions to the
Southwest in the spring of 1903, left instructions that
Simms was to make a trip to the Cree reservations of
Saskatchewan during the summer of that year. He
apparently left no specific instructions, however, and
the assistant curator, perhaps recalling past admoni-
tions, began to worry.

I find that there are several Cree reservations in Sas-
katchewan— so please be good enough to indicate (if
you can, of course) how many and which ones you in-
tended me to visit. I should like to know this so that I
may look up any existing references upon the same. I
really fear that my results will not be up to your expecta-
tions, or to my work among the Crows — for the number
of half breed Crees is astonishing; however, I shall cer-
tainly do my utmost to make good my efforts.

Dorsey did not share Simms' concern about the
number of half-breeds and believed that there would be
much material to collect in the Cree country.

As 1 remember the situation, certain reservations, from
what I could gather from the Canadian reports, seemed
especially promising. Such was the Assanboin [sic],
south of Indian Head, the reservation north of Broad-
way [Broadview], two reservations near the Touchwood
Hills and several reservations at the Sashatchewan [sic]
river, around the Battle Ford and Ft. Pit[t]. There are
also some lakes still north of this country, Winterhaven
[Waterhen Lake, Manitoba?], Meadow, Pelican and
Turtle, where may be found a number of Chippewayans
[sic], who have never been on a reservation, who pre-
sumably are fit subjects for you.

I am also under the impression that there are a
number of small Sioux reservations, or at any rate Sioux
camps, near the Cypress Hills. These reservations
should, in my opinion, be exceedingly fertile, but of
course it is all a gamble and the only way we can find out

what is up there is for a good man like yourself to make
the trip.

It is clear from this letter that Dorsey gave consider-
able thought and study to areas where he wished to have
materials collected in advance of sending collectors into
the field. It could not have been easy, at the beginning of
this century, to find detailed and accurate information
on the Indians of the Canadian prairies.

Simms had hoped to leave for Saskatchewan
around June 1, 1903, but he was delayed and finally de-
parted on or about August 3, an unfortunate delay as it
turned out. Dorsey had confirmed that Simms would not
be able to leave as soon as he had hoped.

I realize that should you not get started until some time
in July, it would hurry you to make the grand trip I have
just been talking about, but in this case you would
necessarily be governed by circumstances, penetrating
as far north as time and money would permit. Should we
find after a trail [sic] of some of the Cree reservations
that they were extremely profitable, I think it would be
an easy matter to secure an appropriation for a return
next year.

On August 20, Simms wrote to Dorsey from the Qu'
Appelle Indian Agency in southern Saskatchewan.

This country must have been visited by a cyclone or a
disastrous fire or by both — and confined their efforts to
Indian material. Have visited reserve after reserve, tipi
after tipi but can't boast of anything to be chesty about.
The Indians thru this section are devoting their
time to farming and they expect to unload about
100,000 bushels of wheat. After I leave here I take the
train at a station not far from a small settlement of
Assiniboines, and tho they were not considered to be on
my itinerary I had thought it advisable to go there —
there is a much larger band further east, hard to get at,
but can't spend the time or money unless authorized to
do so.

Unfortunately, Simms' troubles were just begin-
ning. On September 12 he informed Dorsey that he had

Just returned from Crooked Lake Res. thru a howling
blizzard, foot of snow, telegraph wires down, trains
[delayed?] and I'm in the dumps.

My trip here was put off too late. They are farming
and have [taken?] their tipis with them. Houses boarded
up. I have done the country but my results are not as I
desired. There was one place I was unable to reach —
Nut Lake. Roads were impassable and no camping place
or outfit.

I fervently believe that I have not had a week of
good weather all told.

I have done more sleeping on floors, in lofts, in
[lousy?] blankets, than on any previous trip — tho I am
feeling well and would feel a — — sight better if I could
pick up a few . . . specimens.

The same problems continued to plague Simms, as

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he noted in his next letter to Dorsey written on Septem-
ber 21.

This, as I have said before, is a bad time to come here.
Most of the Indians are farmers and they have been
working in the fields and living in tents. There are hard-
ly any accomodations for one to stay a week, on any of
the reserves here.

I feel confident that with the knowledge I possess, I
do better the next time by omitting places, and getting

10

Beaded panel hung as decoration from a back rest. Collected by S. C.
Simms among the Plains Cree in 1903. Photo b} Ron Testa. (19801

here before the harvesting of hay and grain starts.

I have done pretty thoroughly about 12 reserves,
and with poor results. Have seen no very good speci-
mens. Plenty of Hudson's Bay things etc. but not much
of the things to make your heart glad. Until a few days
ago, have had rain, snow and hail and travelling in this
country has been wretched.

Was greatly disappointed in not being able to get to
Nut Lake country — from the little I have seen they are
the best, and had the country been at all passable should
have made it.

Remember this. The time to get to these places is
'Treaty time' early June.

Although Simms may have visited 12 reserves, as
he says, he appears not to have travelled much beyond
those reserves clustered in the southeast corner of Sas-
katchewan. Nut Lake, which seemed like a panacea to
the weary ethnographer as he struggled with the snow
and had weather in the south, is east of Saskatoon in

country occupied by the Plains Ojibwa. Simms was
doubtless correct in assuming that "Treaty time" would
be the ideal time for collecting, at least in terms of find-
ing the maximum number of Indians congregated in one
place. Once each year the Indians of each reserve
gathered to receive the cash payments due them under
the terms of their treaty with the Canadian government.

Simms left the Plains Cree country shortly after
writing the letter just quoted. On September 23 Dorsey
had suggested in a telegram that Simms collect in north-
em Minnesota on his way home and although there is
no related correspondence, he apparently spent a month
on the Leech Lake Ojibwa reservation, near Bemidji.

Although Simms later carried out fieldwork in the
Philippines, which included recovering the body and
field notes of Curator William Jones, murdered by the
Ilongot of Luzon Island in 1909, his trip to Saskatchewan
was his last North American field trip. In June 1907,
Simms received an invitation from the "Inspector of In-
dian Agencies of Northwest Canada," apparently some-
one he had met during his fieldwork, to accompany him
to reservations in central Saskatchewan. In a memo
requesting permission to make this trip, he reminded
Dorsey that he had not been able to reach this area on his
previous trip. Dorsey, however, refused permission for
the trip on the grounds of lack of funds.

Several things are apparent from this correspond-
ence between Simms and Dorsey. First of all, the pri-
mary objective of field workers in the early years of the
century was to fill gaps in the collections. Dorsey was
determined that along with the ethnographic objects
collected, as much documentation as possible should
also be obtained to enhance their scientific value.
Neither he nor Simms appear to have been interested in
acquiring objects that showed the influence of European
contact. Above all, it is clear, that Dorsey expected re-
sults and was not overly concerned about how they were
achieved. Simms and his colleagues in the department
did their best to live up to his expectations.

NOTE

This article was adapted from J. VanStone, "The Simms
Collection of Plains Cree Material Culture from Southeastern
Saskatchewan" (Fieldiana: Anthropology, new series, no. 6,
1983). Most of the information was obtained from correspond-
ence files in the Department of Anthropology and from
Annual Reports of the Museum. An obituary of Simms
appeared in Field Museum News, vol. 8, no. 3, 1937. For an
excellent overview of the history of Field Museum's North
American Indian collections, see P. Rabineau, "North Amer-
ican Anthopology at Field Museum of Natural History"
(American Indian Art Magazine, vol. 6, no. 4, 1981, pp. 30-37,
79).

SPRING
WILDFLOWERS

OF THE

CHICAGO AREA

byFLOYDA.SW!NK

Photos courtesy of the author
except where indicated

Great diversity is to be found in the wildflowers of the
Chicago area. Certainly one of the most interesting
times to see these flowers is in the spring, especially
in wooded areas. Flowers like sunlight, and the
plants bloom before the leaves appear overhead; so
the forest floor at this time of year has a plenitude of sunlight.
This means that many kinds bloom at about the same time,
and a trip to the same forest in July or August would reveal
hardly any blooms in the dense shade.

There are many woods and parks in the Chicago area in
which to see the wonderful spring flowers, and five of the most
important areas are discussed here: Warren Woods, Indiana
Dunes State Park, Morton Arboretum, Starved Rock State
Park, and Illinois Beach State Park.

Warren Woods. This fine botanical area is located along the
Galien River in Berrien County, Michigan (the county closest
to Chicago in the state of Michigan). By taking an east-west
road about halfway between the Michigan towns of Union
Pier and Lakeside, and proceeding about three miles directly
eastward, this beautiful forest comes into view. It has been
little disturbed, and is a fine example of beech-maple forest;
the trees are much taller than those on the Illinois side of the
lake, and a walk through the area even when flowers are ab-
sent is impressive. About April 30 is a good time to visit.

Indiana Dunes State Park. Spring hikes on the open dunes
yield little in the way of wildflowers, but behind the dunes are
swamp forests, which are fine. One of the best routes is the
trail heading immediately eastward from the open field lo-
cated to the east of the Wilson picnic shelter. The trail then
turns northward and heads through a diversified forest (the
trail often wet in spring! ) , with many tree species and delight-
ful wildflowers.

Morton Arboretum. While much of the Arboretum (in Lisle,
Du Page County, about 25 miles west of the Chicago Loop) is
devoted to the culture of cultivated woody plants, the east-
end forest is excellent for spring wildflowers. A portion of
these woods is dominated by sugar maple, and species such as
toothwort, spring beauty, false rue anemone, white trout lily,
rue anemone, and hepatica grow in abundance.

Starved Rock State Park. The topography here (about 75
miles southwest of the Chicago Loop) is more rugged than in
our standard forest preserves, but this in itself adds to the
diversity. The park is excellent for ferns, many of them grow-
ing on the rock cliffs, but also is noted for fine wildflowers.
Some of these occur in the extra shade in or near the canyons,
a good example being Dutchman's breeches near French
Canyon.

Floyd A. Swink is a taxonomist at Morton Arboretum, Lisle,
Illinois, and has served as lecturer and tour leader of Field Museum
botanical field trips in the Chicago area.

l •

Illinois Beach State Park (east of Zion, Illinois). This should
be visited in late spring — around Memorial Day is best. The
area is more of a prairie park. Prepare for cold weather, even in
late May, as the northeast winds off the lake can be quite
uncomfortable. The area near the lake is dominated by a
scrubby black-oak forest, but the prairie areas west of this for-
est are beautiful in late May and early June. Sand dunes are not
high here, because the dominant westerly and northwesterly
winds are blowing from the land out over the water. (In Indi-
ana and Michigan these same winds help to accumulate sand
from Lake Michigan onto the nearby shores. )

Microclimatic conditions influence our local area signifi-
cantly, and an interesting project is to study our tree distribu-
tion as affected by Lake Michigan and by local winds, rainfall,
and snowfall. For example, southern trees (sassafras, papaw,
sour gum, and flowering dogwood) are found in the Indiana
dunes and commonly in southwestern Michigan, yet are hard-
ly ever found in Lake County, Illinois, or in adjacent Wiscon-
sin. Interesting exceptions include the sour gum, which
occurs in Kenosha County, Wisconsin — the only place in the
entire state! Sassafras formerly occurred in the same county,
but is now being exterminated in Wisconsin. I remember a
sassafras colony of three trees in the area near Lake Michigan
adjacent to Kenilworth and Wilmette, but this has been gone
for many years. Sassafras still occurs wild in southern Cook
County. Papaw does get to southern Cook County and south-
ern Du Page County — quite a contrast to its abundance much
farther north in Michigan. Perhaps one can draw from all this
the reasons why we are able to grow abundant crops of peaches
and sweet cherries in southwestern Michigan, but not in Wis-
consin directly across the lake.

Some of the more interesting wildflowers of spring are
discussed below, the woodland species first and prairie species
last.

May flowers m Morton Arboretum. Pink-streaked white flowers are spring beauty

(Claytonia virginica). Also shown are the blue violet (Viola papilionacea) and

the yellow violet (Viola pensylvanica). Photo by John Kolar.

# Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)
Purslane Family (Portulacaceae)

This is probably the most abundant of our native woodland
wildflowers. It is a perennial which possesses an ample storage
root, giving it the ability to get an early start the following
spring. It also can stand quite a bit of abuse. The ultimate
example of such abuse may be observed when wooded property
is acquired and the oak trees are allowed to stand, but the rest
of the area is made into lawn. The spring beauty is usually the
only wildflower to remain, and it forms dense stands compet-
ing with the grass, often in circular patches which follow the
contours of the oak trees above. It occurs in almost every
wooded area in the Chicago region, but the greatest abun-
dance is on the Illinois side of the lake. Typical associates
include the white trout lily, white oak, hepatica, May apple,
and woodland phlox.

* Violets (Viola spp.)
Violet Family (Violaceae)

Our spring woodlands contain a number of interesting violets,
some very closely related to each other. These include the
common blue violet, Viola papilionacea (with smooth foliage)
and the hairy wood violet, Viola sororia (with hairy foliage).
There are also two yellow violets, Viola pensylvanica — also
known as Viola eriocarpa — with relatively smooth stems, and
Viola pubescens, with definitely hairy stems. Unfortunately, in
both of these groups intermediate specimens occur which can
be perplexing. In the meantime, many areas of dune land-
scapes become attractive with the beautiful blossoms of the
bird's foot violet, Viola pedata. One of the most unusual violets
occurs in the beech-maple forest at Warren Woods, and is
known as the long-spurred violet, Viola rostrata. As the com-
mon name implies, the floral spur which is characteristic of
violets as a group is considerably longer in this species than is
the case with our other common violets.

12

Environmental Field Trips

to sites discussed in

"Spring Wild£lowers,,

Field Museum offers a variety of environmental field trips in May-June and September-
October. The trips are designed for family groups and adult groups and are led by local
scholars and naturalists, including Field Museum staff. This spring's schedule features
adult trips to three of the areas discussed in this article:

Starved Rock State Park — Sunday, May 4

Indiana Dunes State Park — Sunday, June 1

Morton Arboretum — Sunday, June 22

Please call 322-8855 for additional information or to request a field trip brochure.

White trout lily

# White Trout Lily ( Ery thronium aibidum)
Lily Family (Liliaceae)

This plant forms circular colonies in the woods. Plants with
single leaves are nonflowering, and those with two leaves bear
flowers. Most specimens in a given colony are not old enough
to flower. The flower color is usually white, but in our area the
flowers often have a slight bluish tinge. The leaves are more or
less spotted (hence the name trout lily). Another name, dog-
tooth violet, is inappropriate, since the plant, a member of the
lily family, is not a violet. Locally, it is most common on the
Illinois side of Lake Michigan. The white trout lily quite con-
sistently associates with the spring beauty, discussed above.

Yellow trout lily

14

# Yellow Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum)
Lily Family (Liliaceae)

This trout lily differs from the foregoing plant not only in the
yellow color of the flowers, but also in the greater amount of
spotting on the foliage. Its local center of distribution is north-
western Indiana and southwestern Michigan, especially War-
ren Woods, where it quite completely replaces the white trout
lily. Typical associates include sugar maple, beech, Dutch-
man's breeches, squirrel corn, large-flowered trillium, and
wild geranium.

Hepatica

# Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba)
Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae)

Most of our hepatics, especially on the Illinois side of the lake,
are this species, which grows in neutral or slightly alkaline
soil. Another species (Hepatica americana) occurs more com-
monly in the acidic soils of the Indiana dunes, and is told from
acutiloba by the rounded lobes of the leaves; in acutiloba these
are pointed (some botanists regard both as varieties of the
European species). The plants are early blooming (in fact
often the earliest wildflower in the woods), and are quite
attractive, especially since the color is so variable — from
white through pink and rose to dark lavender or violet. The
leaves of the previous year are semi-evergreen and often re-
main the following spring, with the newly developing fuzzy
leaves of the current year appearing at the same time.

# Toothwort (Dentaria laciniata)
Mustard Family (Cruciferae)

This is our only spring woodland wildflower combining the
four petals of the mustard family with deeply dissected, or
compound, leaves with narrow leaflets. This is an especially
common plant in the east woods of the Morton Arboretum.
Flower color ranges from pure white to a light pink or purple.
Another related plant sometimes grows with it, having iden-
tical flowers but undivided leaves; this is the purple spring
cress ((Cardamine dougiassii) Toothwort associates typically
with red trillium, spring beauty, white trout lily, wild gera-
nium, hepatica, woodland phlox, and May apple.

Toothwort

Dutchman's breeches

Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) WM ge,aniun'
Geranium Family (Geraniaceae)

This is one of our commonest woodland wildflowers, also
known as wild cranesbill. Its flowers are showy, pink or rose-
purple, and about an inch in diameter. When flowers are not
present, it is easy to confuse the foliage with that of certain
anemones. Its associates quite consistently include woodland
phlox and Virginia waterleaf.

<§B Virginia Waterleaf ( Hydrophyllum virginianum)
Waterleaf Family (Hydrophyllaceae)

The common name is given because of the whitish spots on
some of the leaves, which at a distance, resemble drops of
water. The name Hydrophyllum is derived from the Greek for
"water" and "leaf." It is our only common spring woodland
wildflower in which the stamens noticeably protrude from the
corolla. Flower color can range from pure white to light pink
and/or light purple.

■& Woodl and Phlox ( Phlox diwricata)
Phlox Family (Polemoniaceae)

This blooms slightly later than the plants discussed above, and
has bluish-purple blossoms with the shape of those of our culti-
vated phlox. The plant typically has sterile, or nonflowering,
basal shoots along the ground, which can take root. It con-
sistently associates with the wild geranium and the Virginia
waterleaf, and is to be found in almost every woodland, unless
the area is badly disturbed.

W Dutchman's Breeches (Ehcentra cucuUaria)
Fumitory Family (Fumariaceae)

This is a rather delicate plant, and unlike the spring beauty,
will not tolerate heavy abuse in the woods. The white flowers
occur in clusters, and are shaped like trousers hanging upside
down, thus easily distinguished from anything in the woods.
When not in flower, the plant can be confused with the closely
related squirrel corn (see below). Dutchman's breeches typi-
cally grows with spring beauty, false rue anemone, bloodroot,
wild leek, and white trout lily. It is especially delightful in
French Canyon of Starved Rock State Park.

$? Squirrel Corn (Dicentra canadensis)
Fumitory Family (Fumariaceae)

The foliage of this plant is almost identical to that of Dutch-
man's breeches. However, the squirrel corn possesses small
tubers that approximate the size, shape, and color of a kernel
of corn; thus, quite different from the tubers of Dutchman's
breeches. While Dutchman's breeches ranges throughout our
area, squirrel corn is more at home in the beech-maple forests
of our Indiana and Michigan sectors. In fact, at Warren
Woods, it is one of the showpieces of the forest, in a normal
spring blooming about May 1. It grows there abundantly with
Dutchman's breeches, giving an excellent opportunity for
first-hand comparison. Interestingly enough, the two plants
are sometimes called "boys and girls"; the boys represented by
the Dutchman's breeches and the girls by the heart-shaped
flowers of squirrel corn.

15

Squirrel com

16

Bloodroot

W Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Poppy Family (Papaveraceae)

This is one of the delights of an early spring hike in rich woods.
It is one of our few wildflowers which typically has eight pet-
als. The petals are attached only slightly to the floral recepta-
cle, so that after a good wind or rain the petals are on the
ground, giving a relatively short life to the flower. Most parts
of the plants have an orange-red juice, giving the common
name. It is a member of the poppy family, whose members are
often characterized by a colored juice. Bloodroot typically
associates with sugar maple, red oak, spring beauty, Dutch-
man's breeches, toothwort, wild geranium, and hepatica.

■$? Jack-In-The-Pulpit (Arisaema atrorubens)
Arum Family (Araceae)

Sometimes this plant is considered to be the same species as
one occurring farther east, in which case the scientific name
becomes Arisaema triphyllum. It is easily identified from any-
thing else in our area by the striped green hood which arches
over a club-shaped organ (the "jack") known as a spadix. At
the bottom of this spadix occurs the tiny flower (either male or
female). We are more familiar with the plants in the cool
spring season than in the warmer season to follow; the re-
latively non-showy flower is well known, but the brilliant red
fruit clusters occurring later in the season are less familiar.

# May Apple ( Podophyllum peltatum)
Barberry Family (Berberidaceae)

The name of this plant is misleading, as it implies the fruit
ripes in May; actually it ripens much earlier. It is the flower
which is observed in May, and it is often missed on spring hikes
because it hides under the two "umbrellas" which are so famil-
iar in the woods. Plants with a single umbrella-leaf do not
flower. The flowers are large, more than two inches across,
white, and with an absolutely delightful fragrance reminding
one of fresh fruit. The colonies are circular, and spread out-
ward each year; it would be interesting to determine how
rapidly a colony enlarges from year to year. The may apple has
long been used in folk medicine for a variety of complaints;
recently extracts of the plant have been shown to inhibit the
growth of certain tumors in laboratory animals.

Wild columbine

# Wild Columbine ( Aquilegia canadensis)
Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae)

The flowers are similar in shape to those of the familiar col-
umbine of the gardens; however, the wild columbine is red or
orange (with some yellow). It is a favorite species for the visits
of the ruby-throated hummingbird. The petals are hollow,
and the flower hangs upside down. It is most delightful to see
this plant blooming on rock cliffs (for example, at Apple River
Canyon in northwestern Illinois). However, this habitat is
locally rare, so most of our specimens are seen in woods,
especially woods of the Indiana dunes, where it occurs with
black oak, wild sarsaparilla, choke cherry, sassafras, witch
hazel, and cat brier. The foliage is often attacked by a leaf
miner, which makes characteristic serpentine lines in the
leaves.

$? Swamp Buttercup (Ranunculus septentrionalis)
Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae)

There are many buttercups in our area, but this is the showy
one commonly seen in spring woodlands, especially along
flood plains, where it associates with silver maple, white ash,
American elm, wild ginger, wood nettle, and golden Alexan-
ders. After flowering, it sends out conspicuous runners, or
stolons. The flowers are a brilliant shiny yellow, hence
"buttercup." The leaves are compound, thus enabling the
naturalist to easily distinguish the swamp buttercup from the
closely related marsh marigold . Swamp buttercup

# Hoary Puccoon (Lithospermum canescens)
Borage Family (Boraginaceae)

This orange-flowered plant is a distinctive member of our
prairie flora. Remember that the spring prairie plants bloom
somewhat later than their counterparts in the forest, so that
late May or early June would be a good time to see the prairie
in bloom. Hoary puccoon has a showy relative which is found
in both the Illinois and Indiana dunes, fairly close to Lake
Michigan. This is the hairy puccoon (known variously as
Lithospermum croceum and Lithospermum caroliniense) . It is a
rougher plant and grows somewhat taller, but is usually easily
distinguished by the difference in habitat.

Hoary puccoon

$? Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris)
Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae)

This is a very common plant of wooded dune marshes, especi-
ally in Indiana and Michigan, where it consistently grows with
the very early-blooming skunk cabbage. Marsh marigold's
leaves are rounded but never divided, thus easily distinguish-
ing it from the common showy buttercups. It is native to Eura-
sia as well as to America. Despite its name, the plant is not
even closely related to the cultivated French and African
marigolds (which are natives of Mexico!).

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.

17

18

# Prairie Phlox ( Phlox pilosa)
Phlox Family (Polemoniaceae)

Woodland phlox, already mentioned, has bluish-purple flow-
ers. The prairie phlox, however, bears pink or rose-colored
flowers, often quite showy. Furthermore, the prairie habitat
would distinguish it from the woodland phlox. Prairie phlox is
rather hairy, and thus easily distinguished from a later-
blooming plant of our prairie marshes, Phlox glaberrima, the
marsh phlox. Prairie phlox occurs with shooting star, hoary
puccoon, yellow star grass, and blue-eyed grass, forming a
delightful prairie association in a number of our areas.

# Yellow Star Grass ( Hypoxis hirsuta)
Amaryllis Family (Amaryllidaceae)

This is our only locally native member of the Amaryllis Fam-
ily. Despite its name, it is not a grass, but rather has a delight-
ful, albeit small, yellow flower. It can be easily found by locat-
ing patches of shooting star in bloom. When not in flower, it
can be told from blue-eyed grass by the hairiness of its foliage.
Blue-eyed grass has smooth leaves.

# Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia)
Primrose Family (Primulaceae)

Although this is primarily a prairie plant with us, flower en-
thusiasts in other geographical areas see it primarily as a wood-
land plant. There are excellent places to see shooting star in
good abundance. One is at Illinois Beach State Park, in the
prairie portion west of the scrub-oak forest. Another fine
locale (flowering around Memorial Day) is the Chiwaukee
Prairie in southeastern Wisconsin, near Lake Michigan, north
of the Illinois town of Winthrop Harbor, in an area east of the
Northwestern railroad tracks. Here there are acres of fine
shooting star populations, associating with prairie phlox,
yellow star grass, blue-eyed grass, wood betony, and hoary
puccoon.

$? Blue-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium albidem)
Iris Family (Iridaceae)

Despite the name, our plants are often white-flowered,
although beautiful blue or violet ones can also be found. The
plants have flattened winged stems, and associate with
another small member of the flora, yellow star grass, discussed
above. Again, we are not dealing with a true grass, but this
time with a member of the iris family.

$? Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)
Birthwort Family (Aristolochiaceae)

This curious plant grows along the flood plains of our wooded
streams, associating with swamp buttercup. The leaves are
large, somewhat heart-shaped or kidney-shaped, and hide the
curious flowers, which grow at ground level or slightly above
it. The flowers are three-parted, somewhat brownish-purple,
and much smaller than the leaves. Flowering plants are com-
monly not observed as such, because of the density of the
leaves. Pulling the foliage aside enables the observer to see the
flowers described above. The plants form low-growing circular
colonies, and when once learned, are unmistakable. They are
not even closely related to the true ginger used in cooking.

Wild ginger

While the wildflowers are the showpieces of the spring
woods, it is also true that sometime during spring most of the
trees bloom as well. Normally the flowers of trees are not
showy, and are missed by most spring hikers for this reason,
plus the fact that the flowers are usually some distance above
the observer. A challenge this spring would be to try to see the
common trees of our forest preserves when in flower, including
such common species as silver maple, American elm, white
ash, hop hornbeam, hackberry, sugar maple, white oak, and
red oak. FH

Ninth Annual Spring Systematics Symposium

Saturday, May 10, 8:50am to 4:30pm

This year's symposium topic is "Evolution of Human Hunting"
and features ten speakers. The preregistration fee (until April 10)
is $10. Registration after that date is $15. Registration forms may
be obtained by writing Dr. H. M. Nitecki at Field Museum; they
may also be obtained at the Museum on May 10 before the talks
begin.

Robert H. Denison

1911-1985

Xvobert H. Denison, former curator of Fossil Fishes at
Field Museum, died after a long illness in September
1985. He was a first rate scientist, a paleoichthyologist
(specialist in fossil fishes) of international stature.

Born in Somerville, Massachusetts, on Nov. 9,
1911, he graduated from Harvard College with an A.B.
in 1933. From there he went to Columbia University,
where he also became well acquainted with the staff of
the American Museum of Natural History. Bob com-
pleted his studies at Columbia with a M. A. in 1934 and a
Ph.D. in 1938. A student of the world-renowned com-
parative zoologist William K. Gregory, Bob started his
career interested in fossil mammals. His Ph.D. thesis on
the broad-skulled Pseudocreodi (a primitive mammalian
carnivore) was awarded an A. Cressy Morrison Prize in
Natural Science in 1937 by the New York Academy of
Science. In the early 30s he joined Harvard field parties
to collect fossil mammals in Wyoming, Nebraska, and
South Dakota, and in 1947-48 he took part in a Univer-
sity of California expedition to Egypt and Kenya.

In 1937 Denison became a member of the faculty at
Dartmouth College and assistant curator of the Patten
collection (now at the American Museum), which con-
tained Late Devonian (350 million years before present)
and Late Silurian (400 MYBP) vertebrates from Quebec
and the Isle of Oesel in the Baltic Sea. William Patten
(formerly professor at Dartmouth) had collected this
material to support his ideas about the origin of the chor-
dates from arthropods. This large resource channeled
Bob's paleontological interests in the direction of the
early vertebrates and resulted in a series of careful de-
scriptions of agnathans (jawless fish) and placoderms (a
large extinct group of armored fish).

In 1948 he joined the Field Museum as curator of
Fossil Fishes, and began to build a collection of North
American Devonian and Silurian fishes. Besides the
anatomy, classification, and evolutionary history of the
early vertebrates, Denison was deeply interested in the
ecology of the earliest groups and the origin and early
history of their calcified skeletons. The prevailing and
widely accepted theory at the time held that the earliest
vertebrates were freshwater inhabitants and that some of
them later invaded the sea. Denison had visited and col-
lected in most of the North American localities of early
vertebrates and found that he could not agree with this
view. As the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship
(1953-54), he also visited localities in England, Scot-
land, Norway, and Sweden, and in the process dis-
covered evidence against the freshwater origin theory.
In 1956 he published a detailed review of the evidence

regarding the habitat of the earliest vertebrates and con-
cluded that they inhabited marine, rather than fresh
waters.

When Bob joined the staff, Field Museum had
virtually no fossil fish collection; by the time he retired,
at the end of 1970, the institution had one of the most
important and best curated collections of Devonian and
Silurian fishes in the world. Much of what Bob col-
lected, he also studied, and the results are published in a
series of major, technical accounts.

In 1963, he discovered the earliest North Amer-
ican lungfish in the Lower Devonian of Cottonwood
Canyon, Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming. It still is the
only complete Lower Devonian lungfish known. This is
the only fish group that led him out of the Devonian
(345-395 MYBP) into the mid-Pennsylvanian (295
MYBP) of Illinois, and the study of tooth histology of
younger lungfishes. His specialty, however, was working
with agnathans and placoderms; his last two studies on
placoderms appeared in 1984 and 1985.

For the well-known series, Handbook of Paleo-
ichthyology, he gathered extensive knowledge on the
placoderms (1978) and the acanthodians (1979). These
two volumes of the series are used extensively by paleo-
ichthyologists around the world.

Denison was a Fellow of the Geological Society of
America and a member of the American Society of Ver-
tebrate Zoologists. He was an honorary member of the
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, serving as its
secretary- treasurer from 1959 to 1961, and as president
in 1961 and 1962.

Bob Denison was a quiet, well-liked and much re-
spected colleague, devoted to his scientific and curato-
rial responsibilities. He personified all the best character
traits of the New Englander he was: love for privacy and
independence, conscientiousness and sustained effort in
his work habits, strong need for orderliness, wry sense of
humor, valuation of substance over imagery and absolute
honesty.

Following retirement, Bob and Mary Denison
moved to Lincoln, Massachusetts, where Bob became
a research associate at the Museum of Comparative
Zoology, Harvard University, and continued his
scientific work.

Bob is survived by his wife Mary, three sons, John
H. Denison, David O. Denison, and Robert Wells, and
a sister, Mrs. Merdecai-Fischerman.

—Rainer Zangerl, Curator Emeritus, Department of Geology,
and William D. Turnbull, Curator, Department of Geology

Charles Abel Cm win works on mural of "Traveler's Tree," now on view in Plants of the World Hall. B78689

PAINTERS

AT FIELD MUSEUM

I

a look at the men and women who created
the museum's habitat backgrounds and murals

by David M. Walsten

20

. n the late 1890s something new began to happen
in the way museums exhibited natural history speci-
mens. It had been the convention to place them on
view in an unadorned, regimented fashion — not unlike
rows of canned goods in a grocery store. Then the

diorama came into vogue as a device for displaying
specimens in realistic settings.

Commonly, these dioramas included painted
backgrounds, most often on curved walls, that attempt-
ed to blend imperceptibly into three-dimensional forms

in the foreground. Whether this ploy was always effec-
tive is a moot point, but these backgrounds called for
painting skills of the highest refinement, to say
nothing of a sharp eye for representing the various
forms of nature.

An artist who possessed such skills and was blessed
with such an eye was Charles Abel Corwin ( 1857-
1938), who served as Field Museum's staff artist from
1903 to 1938, when he died at the age of 81. During this
period, Corwin painted more than 80 diorama back-
grounds and murals, as well as a large number of
conventional-size canvases featuring botanical sub-
jects. Many of his larger works are still on public view
in the Museum's halls, while his smaller canvases are
hanging in various locations in the Department of
Botany.

A native of New York City, Corwin began his art
studies there in 1875, following this with several years
at the Royal Academy of Munich and tutelage under
Italian masters. In 1883 he joined the faculty of the
School of the Art Institute of Chicago. At the same
time he continued with his own painting and his work
was shown in numerous exhibits. While most of Cor-
win's work in the realm of natural history is to be found
at Field Museum, he is also represented by habitat
backgrounds in the American Museum of Natural His-
tory, New York; in the Los Angeles County Museum of
Natural History; and the California Academy of Nat-
ural Sciences, San Francisco. The total corpus of his
work must constitute one of the major achievements in

American landscape art, though most of it has been
accessible only to the museum-goer.

Upon his death, Corwin was succeeded as staff
artist by Arthur George Rueckert (1891-1948), who
had joined the Field Museum in 1923 as taxidermist-
preparator in the N. W. Harris Public School Exten-
sion. (Earlier he had been with a firm of commercial
taxidermists, the Illinois Department of Agriculture,
and the Chicago Academy of Sciences. ) Shortly after
joining the Field Museum, Rueckert transferred to the
Division of Taxidermy of the Department of Zoology
and, in addition to his work in the building, he partici-
pated in a number of expeditions and field trips as a
collector, notably with the Second Rawson-MacMillan
Subarctic Expedition of 1927-28. Among the back-
grounds he painted were those for habitat groups featur-
ing penguins (begun by Corwin), Weddell's seals,
alpine plants, Bahaman reef, crocodiles, intertidal reef,
and a great many bird dioramas. Rueckert died sudden-
ly in 1948, in mid-career, while still an active staff
member.

The work of Corwin and Rueckert together
accounts for the overwhelming majority of the
Museum's habitat backgrounds. They also did eleven 8-
by-10 murals hanging in the Plants of the World Hall.
(An additional one of the set of twelve botany murals
was done in 1956 by John Pfiffner, an artist who is best
known for his technical drawings of monkeys and other
animals for scientific publications. )

Maidi Wiebe (FM1951-1962) and John Conrad

Arthur George Rueckert adds finishing touches to background of alpine habitat group in Plants of the World Hall (1938). Emil Sella, curator of exhibits
for Botany, is at right. B«oi77

Artists at work: John Conrad
Hansen (left), Alfred Lee Rowell
(lower left), and Maidi Wiebe

(below). G78636, GN83I5Z 81270

22

Hansen (1869-1952, FM1940-1952) served as artists for
the Department of Geology. Miss Wiebe (now Mrs.
Leibhardt) did a large number of backgrounds, particu-
larly of prehistoric life. Mr. Hansen painted various
backgrounds that are now on view in the Fossil Shells
and Plants Hall and the Dinosaur Hall. He came to the
Museum at 70 years of age after completing a successful
career as a lithographer and engraver.

A few habitat backgrounds in the zoology area
were done by Leon Pray (FM 1901-1947), who was best
known as a taxidermist and model-maker. Pray's back-
grounds included those for the orangutan, proboscis
monkey, manatee, and leopard. A few backgrounds
were also done by Douglas E. Tibbitt (FM1948-1955),
notably Marsh Birds of the Upper Nile. Backgrounds in
the American Indian halls were done by Gustaf Dahl-
strom (FM1943-1971), Alfred Lee Rowell (FM1941-
1963), and Theodore Halkin (FM1961-1969).

Marion E. Pahl (FM 1956-1969), who served the
Museum variously as artist (Department of Zoology),
illustrator (Photography), and scientific illustrator
(Department of Exhibition), created some engaging,
cartoon-like illustrations for the walls of the old "Picnic
Room," which was eliminated during the major build-
ing renovation of the 1970s. She also executed in the
exhibit area a larger-than-life representation of a
Chinese mythological figure.

The Museum commissioned two non-staff artists,
Charles R. Knight (1874-1953) and Julius Moessel
(1871-1959), to do mural groups — Knight in paleontol-
ogy, Moessel in botany. The 28 Knight murals, on view
in the Hall of Dinosaurs, were done between 1927 and
1931. Fourteen of these measure 9 by 25 feet, the re-
mainder 9 by 11 feet — covering, in total, the astound-
ing area of 4,536 square feet of canvas, surely one of the

Top left: Proboscis monkey diorama, background painted by Leon Pray.
Above: Pray painted a few habitat backgrounds, though he is best known
for his taxidermy and models; here he prepares sunfish models. Below:
Marion Pahl, a versatile artist skilled in whimsical cartoons as well as
technical drawing, w<rrks on mural of Chinese mythological figure. ;»576.

23

Above: Mural of mastodons (in Hall of Dinosaurs) completed try Charles
R. Knight in 1928. 71154 Knight is shown at right (about 1906-08) by
elephant head he sculpted for the Elephant House in the Bronx Zoo.
Courtesy Dept. Library Services, American Museum of Natural History.

most ambitious painting projects ever undertaken.
Possibly the best known representations ever done of
prehistoric life, Knight's murals — particularly those of
dinosaurs — have been reproduced over the years in a
great number of books and periodicals.

In 1940, Julius Moessel completed a series of four-
teen murals depicting the story of the world's food
plants. These 8-by-lO canvases may be seen in the Hall
of Useful Plants. Nine of the murals depict the produc-
tion and preparation of agricultural foodstuffs; the
other five depict scenes concerned with the transporta-
tion, distribution, and trade of vegetable foodstuffs.

Born in Germany, Moessel came to the United
States shortly after World War I, following study at the
Royal Academy of Munich. "Birds, four-footed anim-
als, and exotic plants appear to be his special interest,"
noted the September 1940 Field Museum News. "Some
of his often grim humor finds expression in his portraits
24 of the orangutans and monkeys. These commonly dec-

orate the cover of the Saturday Evening Post. " Moessel
was a resident of Chicago and, like Knight, enjoyed
considerable commercial success in the world of art —
at least for some years. He died destitute, at the age
of 88.

Even if Field Museum had the space and the plans
to add to its habitat groups and its muralized pre-
sentations of natural history, it is most likely that the
backgrounds and murals would be achieved, no longer
with paint and brush, but by means of photography and
printing — processes which have experienced great
technological advances in recent times. With this in
mind, the remarkable achievements of Charles Abel
Corwin and those artists who followed him should be
viewed in a new historical perspective. FM

Right: ]ulins Moessel (1939) shown with one of his murals on view in
the Hall of Useful Plants. Another of the murals is shown below. s2om. B79598

2*

Tours for Members

For reservations, call or write Dorothy Roder (322-8862), Tours Manager Field Museum,
Roosevelt Rd. at Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, II 60605

The Great Silk Route of China

May 21 — June 15
$4,550

The silk route linked China, Central Asia, Persia, the Middle East, and
Europe nearly 2,000 years ago, giving birth to the exotic and spectacular
oasis cities of Xinjiang Province. Merchants carried more than silks, silver,
and spices along this route, however; they also carried ideas, traditions,
and Buddhism. Field Museum will trace the Chinese portion of this great
caravan highway, bringing to you not only a sense of Chinese history, but
the movements of history itself. We fly from Chicago to Tokyo and from
there to Beijing, where touring will include the Forbidden City, the Temple
of Heaven, the Summer Palace, the National Museum, and to the north,
the tombs of the Ming Emperiors and the Great Wall.

In Urumqui we get our first taste of the silk route as this exotic, green-
blanketed oasis thrives amidst bleak desert, highlands, and the snow-
capped peaks of the Tianshan Mountains. It is the capital of the Xinjiang
Uygur Autonomous Region, populated mostly by the Uygur Muslims and
showing their influence in all aspects of its life. Huge mosques dominate
the city; the people strictly observe their religious festivals and dress in
distinctive costumes, the older women wearing veils, as they keep their
traditions. Turpan is likewise an oasis in the desert, a small but richly exo-
tic caravan city still bustling with colorful bazaars. From here you can visit
the ruins of two ancient silk route cities, destroyed by Genghis Khan, but
yet beautiful in the golden sand.

Dunhuang, our next stop, proves the importance of the silk route in
dispersing new ideas and new religions. Here we find one of the world's
priceless troves of Buddhist art. The Magao Caves, the oldest Buddhist
shrines in China, were begun in A.D. 366 by a monk who saw a vision of a
thousand golden Buddhas. Hundreds of caves have been carved out of the
sandstone cliffs in a layered honeycomb pattern, connected with wooden
walkways and ladders. Carved over a period of a thousand years, these
grottoes bear witness to the changing artistic style and daily lives of the
Chinese people. Some of the statues show an Indian influence. The walls
of these caves are carved with niches containing brilliantly painted sta-
tues, and the ceilings are painted with murals depicting the life of Buddha,
Chinese mythology, religious stories, and the daily activities of the local
people.

Lanzhou is another important caravan city and garrison town since
ancient times. If the water level is high enough, we will take a river trip to
Binglingsi, a Buddhist monastery with rarely seen monumental carvings.
Xian is our next stop. Once the largest city in the world, dressed in imperial
splendor, it served as capital of eleven dynasties. It was a major trade route
link in the 7th and 8th centuries, but is now primarily known for the
discovery there of the vast life-size terra cotta army buried with an ancient
emperor.

Shanghai is currently China's largest, most populous and urbanized
city. It has a western flavor even today. The contrast of the "Old Town"
which is typically Chinese, and the 1930s high-rise district is startling.
Guilin is perhaps the most beautiful city in China, situated on a lush green
plain laced with rivers and lakes. A cruise on the Li River shows off this
region's spectacular scenery and its "stone forest" of amazing rock forma-
tions. Our next visit is to Guangzhou (Canton), an interesting city that is
increasingly integrating with Hong Kong. It is the most important trade
and industrial center in southern China and has a subtropical flavor with
its verdant parks, world-famous cuisine and boisterous atmosphere. On to
Hong Kong for a day before returning to Chicago via Tokyo.

The Classical Mediterranean

May 24-
$4,595-

-June 8
$6,495

26

Our tour begins in Rome where the "Eternal City" offers us the Forum,
the Colosseum and the Pantheon. From there we visit Pompeii and the
beautiful hillside town of Positano where we embark the Sea Cloud after
an excursion to Paestum and Ravello. Tunisia is our next stop where we
will explore ancient Carthage and the old market of Tunis. In Malta we can
follow in the steps of the Knights Hospitalier as we visit their medieval
palaces. Sicily offers us the ancient port of Naxos and the unique beauty of
Taormina. Positioned high on a terrace overlooking the blue sea, it boasts
beautiful gardens and the Greek Theatre which affords a stunning view of
Mount Etna. Mountainous Cephalonia lures us to the ruins of an ancient
castle while Old Corinth impresses us with its Temple of Apollo. We end
our tour in Athens where we will visit the Acropolis, the Parthenon and
the Temple of Athena Nike.

What better way to sail the blue Mediterranean than aboard the
legendary Sea Cloud? The largest private sailing ship ever built, she retains
the elegance of the past while offering contemporary comfort. This is
already a sell-out tour at the California Academy of Sciences and their
leader. Dr. Robert T. Orr will make a fine addition to our outstanding
classical archaeologist. Dr. Richard De Puma. Their intimate knowledge of
the sites we will be visiting, their expert leadership qualities, and the
charm of the Sea Cloud make this a tour second to none.

North Cape and Spitzbergen

June 27- July 12
$3,550-$6,440

Sail to the Land of the Midnight Sun, to the North Cape, where the sun
shines 24 hours a day, aboard the "ultra deluxe" Vistajjord. This Five-Star
ship represents the very epitome of ocean-going elegance: impeccable ser-
vice, first-class cuisine, dazzling entertainment, luxurious living, and un-
rivaled attention to detail.

June 28. Embarkation from Hamburg, Germany. Here on the River
Elbe is one of Europe's brightest and most exciting cities. Explore the
entertainments of the St. Paul district, go sightseeing to City Hall and
shopping along the busy Mockebergstrasse, or drive out to the peace and
quiet of the picturesque Alster Lakes.

June 30. Molde, Norway. An unusually warm climate graces this
delightful Norwegian town, which lies in the path of the Gulf Stream. Of
special note: Romsdal Museum, an open-air compound of carefully
assembled wooden houses dating back to the time of the Vikings. Aan-
dalsnes, Norway. This small, picturesque village on the banks of the
Rauma River lies below the soaring mountains and tumbling waterfalls of
the Romsdal Valley. Ascend Stifjell mountain and cross the lofty bridge
over Stigfoss Waterfalls. There are superb views down the Isterdal Valley, a
fertile land filled with quiet peaceful farms.

July 3. Magdalena Bay, Spitzbergen. Massive glaciers in Spitzbergen's
mountains inch their way down to the sea and Magdalena Bay, providing
one of the world's most awesome natural spectacles. Cruising Lillehhok
Fjord. Sailing past New Aalesund.

July 4. Longyearbyen, Spitzbergen. This is Spitzbergen's main settle-
ment, located at the head of Advent Bay. It looks out on a coastline of
seals, walrus, whales, and thousands of seabirds. Longyearbyen was
named by an American engineer who founded it in 1906; the search for
coal is still pursued in nearby Barentsburg.

Tours for Members

July 5. Skarsvaag, Norway. Here is the most northerly point in Europe.
Up the road and across the tundra from Skarsvaag, you will have a rare
and awe-inspiring opportunity — a chance to stand on 1,000 ft. cliffs with
nothing but polar ice-pack between you and the Arctic Ocean. In the sum-
mer, as you shall see, the sun shines all the time — 24 hours a day.
July 6. Hammerfest, Norway. The brightly painted houses of the
world's most northerly town contrast greatly with the harsh hills which
are its backdrop. The attractive little shops offer a wide array of fine crafts,
and the Hammerfest Museum records more than 200 years of the town's
rich history.

Tromso, Norway. Sheltered by the islands along this craggy coastline,
Tromso has long been an important fishing port and the largest city along
the Arctic Circle. It was from Tromso that the famous explorer Admund-
sen staged his great expedition to the North Pole.

July 7. Narvik, Norway. This shipping port along the ice-blue fjords is
surrounded by snow-tipped peaks that rival any in the country. Visit the
crystal clear Rombaksfjord, which can be crossed via a magnificent new
suspension bridge, then continue on to Bjerkvik and Gratangen, where
you'll be surrounded by some of northern Europe's most beautiful
wildflowers.

July 8. Sailing past the Arctic Circle and several seaside towns.
July 9. Hellesylt, Norway. An excellent starting point for excursions
through a land where mountains soar to dizzying heights and waterfalls
spread their lacework across the cliffs. Visit the orchards strung together in
a brilliant garland of blossoms.

Geiranger, Norway. Geiranderfjord is one of the most splendid in all
of Norway, enclosed on both sides by precipitous walls of rock. Visit
Geiranger's tiny octagonal church, ascend Mt. Diasnibba and take in a
magnificent panoramic view of the mountains, lakes and waterfalls. And
save time to visit Tystig branch of Europe's most enormous glacier.
July 10. Bergen, Norway. This town of seven hills was founded in 1070
and is now one of Norway's major seaports. Windows on its past include
the 13th-century fortress of Bergenhus, the Rosenkrantz Tower and
Edvard Grieg's home at Troldhaugen, while present day Norway is typi-
fied by the busy fish and flower market.
July 12. We disembark in Hamburg, Germany.

Bertram G. Woodland, curator of petrology at Field Museum, will
accompany the tour. He received his B.Sc. (honors) at the University of
Wales and his Ph.D. at the University of Chicago. He will enrich this lovely
cruise with his thorough knowledge of the rock formations and geologic
history of the fjords, and discussions on the many interesting excursions.
Working as a lecturer/tour leader is not a new experience for Bert, as he
has escorted Field Museum groups through England and Wales (his native
country). Galena, Illinois and several Grand Canyon rafting expeditions.

English Homes and Country Tour

July 1—15
$2,725 (double occupancy)

The "treasure houses" of Britain are best experienced within their
architectural context and amidst their natural landscapes. Here we travel
the paths of history and culture in the most immediate sense. But unlike
most tours that rush you around for a cursory introduction, Field Museum
is offering the discriminating traveler an opportunity to get to the heart of
the English people and live in the English countryside as they do. The
English are a thoroughly hospitable people, making you feel truly wel-
come as they take you into their comfortable homes as a guest of special
importance. Past travelers have made lasting friendships with their hosts,
returning again and again, even reciprocating the welcome as their Eng-
lish friends visited here. This view of a remarkable country is rare indeed,
and especially relaxing since you stay several days in one home instead of

spending your time on a bus. We stay in the southeastern counties where
charming thatched villages complement vast cathedrals and living
hedgerows set off lush royal gardens. Your hosts and hostesses include
baronets, generals, company directors, doctors, members of Parliament,
and landowners. Their homes range from mansions to more modest yet
extremely comfortable cottages. Accommodations include use of a private
bathroom.

Come and visit this 'tied to the past' yet forward-looking and charm-
ing country. Inquire into the customs and foibles of the people as you tour
with not only a local guide, but with a scholar from Field Museum, who
was born and raised in this remarkable country. Dr. Peter Crane got his
Ph.D. in botany at the University of Reading. He is an associate curator in
the Department of Geology at Field Museum and was recognized as one of
ten "Outstanding Young Citizens" by the Chicago Junior Association of
Commerce and Industry in 1985. He is excited about this unusual travel
opportunity in his native country and invites you to join him and his
countrymen in an exploration of English Homes and Country.

Alaska

$4,885
July 2-16

Experience the Great Land. Descriptions of Alaska are filled with super-
latives— a state more than twice the size of Texas with a population less
than that of Denver, 33,000 miles of coastline, 119 million acres of forest,
14 of the highest peaks in the United States culminating in Mt. Denali
(formerly Mt. McKinley), at 20,320 feet. Alaska is equally a land of wild-
life superlatives, from her great herds of caribou to swarming seabird
rookeries to surging salmon in migration. When one thinks of Alaska one
thinks of wilderness, of nature still fresh and undomesticated, of experi-
ences dreamed of but mostly unavailable to us of the lower 48.

Join us for an Alaskan odyssey through a wide range of habitats from
the rockbound fur seal and sea bird colonies of the Pribilofs, to the drip-
ping forest and calving glaciers of the southeast, to the grandeur of the
Alaskan Range, to the Fjordlike quiet and beauty of the inland passage.

Our travels will be by plane, train, bus, boat, and foot — whatever best
enhances our experience. Emphasis will be on the land, its history, its
wildlife. Interpretation combined with direct observation will provide an
enjoyment and quality of experience unavailable to the casual visitor.
Whatever your interest in natural history — marine mammals, birding,
mountains, photography, flowers, forests, glaciers, rivers — this tour will
show you Alaska in all its diversity and splendor.

Dr. David Willard, manager of Field Museum's bird and mammal col-
lections, will be tour leader. He received his Ph.D. in Biology at Princeton
University, where he was acting curator of Princeton Museum of Orni-
thology. He has been on a number of research expeditions for Field
Museum. His experience in bird and animal identification and his experi-
ence as a tour leader will enrich this expedition for you. He invites you to
share in the beauty of Alaska this summer.

For further information or to be placed on our mailing list, call or write Dorothy
Roder, Tours Manager. Field Museum. Roosevelt Rd. at Lake Shore Dr. . Chica-
go. 1L 60605. Phone: 322-8862.

27

Field Museum of Natural History
Membership Department
Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605-2499

-

EDITH FLEMING

946 PLEASANT

OAK PARK IL 60302

.

FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY BULLETIN

May 1986

** {

"jf. Subramaniam Performs

Classical Violin of India.

Saturday. May 3

9§C Dance. Song.

and Martial Arts

from India.

Sunday. May 11

Hf. Members' Night.
Friday. May 16

iff Hema Rajagopalan

Performs Classical

Indian Dance

See pages 3, 4

A

\

Field Museum
of Natural History
Bulletin

Published by

Field Museum of Natural History

Founded 1893

President: Willard L. Boyd

Editor/ Designer: David M. Walsten
Production Liaison: Pamela Stearns
Staff Photographer: Ron Testa

Board of Trustees

CONTENTS

May 1986

Volume 57, Number 5

May Events at Field Museum

Museums as Agents for Public Education:
The Kellogg Program

by Helen H. Voris, Special Projects Writer,
Department of Education

Richard M. Jones.

Chairman
Mrs. T. Stanton Armour
George R. Baker
Robert O. Bass
Gordon Bent
Mrs. Philip D. Block III
Willard L. Boyd
Robert D. Cadieux
Henry T. Chandler
Worley H. Clark
Frank W. Considine
Stanton R. Cook
William R. Dickinson, Jr.
Thomas E. Donnelley II
Thomas J. Eyerman
Marshall Field
Ronald J. Gidwitz
Clarence E. Johnson
Richard M. Jones
John James Kinsella
Hugo J. Melvoin
Leo F. Mullin
Earl L. Neal
James J. O'Connor
Robert A. Pritzker
James H. Ransom
John S. Runnells
Patrick G. Ryan
William L. Searle
Robert H. Strotz
Mrs. Theodore D. Tieken
E. Leland Webber
Blaine J. Yarrington

35th Annual Members' Night

Lake Renwick: Unlikely Haven for
the Endangered

by Jerry Sullivan

10

Robert E. Peary: Arctic Explorer 18

and Collector for the World's
Columbian Exposition

by James W. VanStone, Curator of North American
Archaeology and Ethnology

Henry Field, 1902-1986 24

by W. Peyton Fawcett, Field Museum Librarian

Field Museum Tours

26

Life Trustees

Harry O. Bercher
Bowen Blair
Mrs. Edwin J. DeCosta
Clifford C.Gregg
William V. Kahler
William H. Mitchell
Edward Byron Smith
John W. Sullivan
J. Howard Wood

COVER

Hema Rajagopalan, one of India's most graceful dancers, performs
at Field Museum on Saturday, May 17, at 3:00pm. For further
information please see page 4.

Ninth Annual Spring Systematics Symposium

Saturday, May 10, 8:50am to 4:30pm

This year's symposium topic is "Evolution of Human
Hunting" and features ten invited speakers. The pre-
registration fee (until April 10) is $10. Registration after
that date is $15. Registration forms may be obtained by
writing Dr. H. M. Nitecki at Field Museum; they may
also be obtained at the Museum on the morning of May
10 before the talks begin.

Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin (USPS 898-940) is published monthly, except combined July/August issue, by Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive.
Chicago. IL 60605-2496. C 1986 Field Museum of Natural History. Subscriptions: $6.00 annually. $3.00 for schools. Museum membership includes Bulletin subscription. Opinions expressed by
authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policy of Field Museum. Unsolicited manuscripts arc welcome. Museum phone: (312) 922-9410. Notification of address change should
include address label and be sent to Membership Department. Postmaster: Please send form 3579 to Field Museum of Natural History. Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive. Chicago, IL 60605-2496.
ISSN: 0015-0703.

T

Events

-*\

Fesrival of India 1985-1986 is a joint India-United States effort to increase Americans' knowledge of India
and develop goodwill and understanding between the peoples of the two countries.

Pung cholam (acrobatic drumming) with nupi pala (women's songs) — performance by the Meitei oj Manipur. Photo courtesy Aditya Patankar.

Meitei

Dance, Song, and Martial Arts from Manipur

Sunday, May 11, 3:00pm
James Simpson Theatre

Celebrate the performing arts of Manipur with acrobatic
drum dancing, mesmerizing devotional songs, and ritualis-
tic ancient martial arts. Manipur, located in northeast India,
is a lake and stream-filled valley surrounded by mountains.
The Meitei are the valley peoples, once separated into
many clans. Thirteen Meitei performers bring a rare
glimpse of performances seldom seen outside the confines
of Manipur. The Nupi Pala (women's devotional songs)
begin the performance with mesmerizing rhythms, falsetto
voices, and serpentine body movements. Pung Cholam
(acrobatic drumming) drummers continue with slow,
graceful movements and, as the beat of the drums in-
creases, leap and twirl through the air. The ancient martial
arts, Thangta, combine animal-like movements used in
ritual with the swords, spears, shields, and knives used in
warfare up to the end of the 19th century.

This performance is offered in cooperation with the Amer-
ican Institute of India Studies Committee on the Perform-
ing Arts.

Tickets: $5.00 (Members: $3.00)

Fees are nonrefundable. Please use coupon to order tickets.
Seating is general admission. Theatre doors open one hour
prior to performance.

Classical Violin of India

L. Subramaniam, violinist

Saturday, May 3, 3:00pm
James Simpson Theatre

Field Museum's celebration opens with a performance by
one of India's premiere classical violinists and leading
authority on South Indian music, Dr. L. Subramaniam.
South Indian classical music is a complex musical style that
combines unique melodic forms (ragas) and rhythmic cy-
cles (talas). Like Western jazz, it owes its distinctive essence
to improvisation. Dr. Subramaniam celebrates Festival of
India at Field Museum with a unique violin performance
featuring the classical Indian forms of "Varnam," "Kriti,"
and "Ragam, Taman and Pallavi."

Tickets: $7.00 (Members: $5.00)

Fees are nonrefundable. Please use coupon (p. 4) to order
tickets. Seating is general admission. Theatre doors open
one hour prior to the performance.

CONTINUED ■

Events

Bharata \ a i > a in
Classical Dance of India

Hema Rajagopalan

Saturday, May 17, 3:00pm
James Simpson Theatre

Bharata Natyam is the most ancient and highly disciplined
of the classical dance forms of India. It speaks a universa
language — the language of gesture. The feet beat out com-
plicated counter-rhythms, the lower limbs are bent in the
characteristic low squat, with the arms, neck, and should-
ers part of the movement. In the pantomime sections, the
hands tell the story through conversational gesture-
language, while the face expresses the mood. Hema Ra-
jagopalan has been described as one of the most graceful
dancers of India. She has been an ardent student of Bharata
Natyam since the age of six. The marvelous fluidity of her
movements, the subtlety of her facial expression, and her
impeccable rhythm make her performance an enchanting
experience.

This performance is supported in part by the Illinois A
Arts Council. fl

Tickets: $5.00 (Members: S3. 00)

Fees are nonrefundable. Please use coupon to order tickets.

Seating is general admission. Theatre doors open one hour

prior to performance. Public Programs Information: (312)

322-8854

Registration

Be sure to complete all requested information on the
ticket application. If your request is received less than
one week before a program, tickets will be held in
your name at the West Entrance box office. Please

make checks payable to Field Museum. Tickets will
be mailed upon receipt of check. Refunds will be
made only if the program is sold out.

D Member

D Nonnicnibcr

American Express/ Visa/MasterCard

Card Number

Signature

Return complete ticket application with
a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Field Museum of Natural History
Public Programs: Department of Education
Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605-2497

Expiration Date

Addr.

City

Telephone: Daytime

Evening

Program

Number ot

Member

Tickets

Number of"

Nonmember

Tickets

Total
Tickets

Amount
Enclosed

Classical
Violin

Meitei

Classical
Dance

I

otal:

Have you enclosed your self-addressed stamped envelope?

Events

Te Maori: Family Program

Out of the Night of Darkness: The Maui Legends

Saturday, May 10, 2:00pm

Some say Maui was born at the edge of the sea, some say
he was born fully grown. Some say he can change into
many different shapes. Join us at the Maori meeting house
for a dramatization of some of the many Maori legends
about the clever and amazing Maui.
This program is free with Museum admission and tickets
are not required.

Family Feature

Shisha Embroidery — Mirror Needlework from India

Sunday, May 11 and Saturday, May 11
12:30-2:30pm

Jewels, silvery beetle wings, and chips of mica made the
clothes of ancient India sparkle. Now, mirrors are used to
beautify the embroidery of India. Examine different exam-
ples of the symbolic designs used in shisha embroidery.
Make your own design using elements from these tradi-
tional patterns and make the fabric alive-with light.
Monthly Family Features arc free with museum admission
and tickets are not required.

Te Maori Film Program

"Children of the Mist" 30 min.

A brief history of the Tuhoe Tribe of New Zealand is
followed by a depiction of the life and problems of this
contemporary, rural Maori tribe that has migrated to an
urban area.

"Tahere Tiki Tiki, The Making of a Maori
Canoe" 30 min.

Explore the superb craftsmanship that goes into the design
and production of these seaworthy vessels.

Saturday and Sunday, May 24 and 25, 1:30pm

Film program is free with museum admission. Tickets are
not required.

Festival of Masks

Saturday and Sunday, May 31 and June 1

A two-day celebration of masks, mask-making and
masked performances of peoples from around the world.
Demonstrations of mask-making from different cultures
are featured, along with explanations of their masking
traditions. Take the time to explore the Museum and dis-
cover the many masks on exhibit from around the world.
Workshops offered throughout the weekend give families
the opportunity to make their very own masks based on
the numerous examples they have seen. Musical and dance
performances featuring masks from various cultures are
offered both days, and a display of masks made by
Chicago-area school children is also featured during the
celebration.
All activities are free with Museum admission.

May Weekend Programs

Each Saturday and Sunday you are invited to explore the world of natural history at Field Museum. Free tours, demonstrations,
and films related to ongoing exhibits at the Museum are designed for families and adults. Listed below arc only a few of the
numerous activities each weekend. Check the Weekend Passport upon arrival for the complete schedule and program locations.
These programs are partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.

May

4 11:30am. Brontosaurus Story (tour). A fascinating look
at some of the newest discoveries about the "thunder
lizard" and other larger dinosaurs.

1:00pm. Spring Wildjlowers (slide lecture). Recognize
the wildflowers found in Chicago's woods, meadows, and
prairies.

10 12:30pm. Museum Safari (tour). Seek out big game
from Africa and mummies from ancient Egypt as you
travel through Field Museum exhibits.

These programs are free with Museum admission
and no tickets arc required.

18 2:00pm. Malvina Hoffman: Portraits in Bronze (slide lec-
ture). Examine the life and works of Malvina Hoffman,
concentrating on the Portraits of Mankind collection com-
missioned by Field Museum.

24 12:30pm. Museum Safari (tour). Seek out big game
from Africa and mummies from ancient Egypt as you
travel through Field Museum exhibits.

1:30pm. Himalayan Journey (slide lecture). See Lhasa
and other towns now open to tourists, and Bhutan, "Land
of the Thunder Dragon."

Museums as Agents for Public

Education

THE KELLOGG PROGRAM

by Helen H. Voris

Mention the word "Kellogg" and millions of people
think of breakfast. But for approximately 400
museum educators, curators, and exhibit designers from
across the country it brings to mind an imaginative pro-
gram of professional development workshops conducted
by Field Museum's Education Department over the past
four years:

"Museum Education: Strategies for Effective Pro-
gramming," a one-week workshop offered twice a year,
assembles 20 museum educators to learn more about
theoretical and practical aspects of their role in getting
people involved with exhibits.

"Exhibition Development: A Team Approach," a
three-day workshop offered twice a year, provides an
opportunity for ten museum teams of educators, cura-
tors, and exhibit designers to explore their respective
areas of expertise and potential contributions to the
exhibit development process.

The generous award from the W. K. Kellogg Foun-
dation of Battle Creek, Michigan, which has made these
workshops possible, is based on the premise that tal-
ented, enthusiastic, and well-trained staff are the key to
producing more effective exhibits and educational pro-
grams, as well as greater public awareness and use of
museum resources.

The workshops have earned a national reputation
for excellence, establishing Field Museum as a leader in
the development of training experiences for museum
professionals. A strong and growing interest in the pro-
gram has made it highly competitive: nearly 1,000 peo-
ple have applied thus far. Successful applicants receive
stipends to cover their transportation and expenses.

Helen Voris is a writer for special projects in the Education
Department.

They must be full-time employees of museums, and they
are selected on the basis of their level of responsibility,
their ability to articulate their own needs and those of
their institution as related to the content and goals of the
workshops, and the degree of support from their
administrative supervisors.

The workshops have drawn participants from more
than 225 museums located throughout the U.S. and
Canada. Staff of the Alaska State Museum, the Univer-
sity of Alaska Museum, and the Bernice Pauahi Bishop
Museum in Hawaii have particularly welcomed the Kel-
logg Foundation's support, since the cost of travel from
their distant locations often precludes their attendance
at professional workshops and conferences. Participants
have come from museums of every size as well, with the
Elmhurst (Illinois) Historical Museum, which serves
4,100 visitors each year with a staff of four, at one end of
the spectrum, and the National Gallery of Art, with
over 900 staff members and an annual attendance of
over six million visitors, at the other.

Presentations at the workshops by Field Museum
staff, keynote speakers, and small group activities gen-
erate lively discussions which often continue through
the evening and start again at breakfast the next day.
Specific issues are considered within the framework of
several overarching themes: mission, goals, objectives,
and evaluation. How is the mission of one's museum re-
flected in its organizational values, structure, and
functioning? How can a museum mission statement be
used to help articulate goals and objectives for exhibits
and programs? How can evaluation of exhibits and pro-
grams be used as a positive force to chart and guide pro-
gress in the direction of the mission? Attention to the
museum audience is implicit in these themes: It is not
enough to know who we are as museums, and where we
are headed; to get there we must know, in more depth
than ever before, the audience we serve — and those we

would like to serve. We must understand not only our
visitors' expectations, needs and concerns, but also how
they learn, what they enjoy, why they visit museums,
and — why they do not.

Workshop participants confront these and other
issues by taking part in various activities and then draw-
ing on these experiences as a basis for discussion, thereby
integrating theoretical concerns with practical con-
siderations, and giving depth and breadth to their
understanding of the issues and to their abilities to grap-
ple with them.

On occasion, visitors to Field Museum may have
encountered workshop participants carrying out some of
these activities in museum halls. In one activity, for ex-
ample, participants spend 15 minutes observing a single
object in an exhibit and recording their reactions. They
are then asked to categorize their comments and relate
them to possible visitor responses to exhibits. Usually
there are some observations, some emotional responses,
some questions about the subject matter; often there are
judgments about aesthetics, and comments on personal
likes or dislikes. This experience initiates a discussion of
many related questions: In what ways are museum pro-
fessionals and general visitors alike and different in their
reactions to objects on exhibit? What do we know about
our visitors' experiences with such objects? What
assumptions are we making about our visitors' experi-
ences? How can we test these assumptions? By what
means can we provide visitors with exhibit-related expe-
riences that are both enjoyable and educational?

Workshop participants also have fun as they learn.
On a day when a workshop is in session, one might catch
sight of someone carrying a flock of inflated balloons,
another covered with glitter or festooned with artificial
birds, or yet another playing a set of "mupejas" (multiple
peanut butter jars, of course) — all good-humoredly tak-
ing part in a lively role-playing activity designed to
explore the process of creative collaboration with the wide
assortment of resource persons utilized by museums.

One session of each workshop is devoted to several
uninterrupted hours of work on a problem each partici-
pant has struggled with at his or her home institution.
Using a systematic problem-solving guide, and with time
for reflection away from ringing telephones and over-
flowing schedules, educators, curators, and designers
alike have found this to be an extremely productive and
even invaluable experience.

Articulation of a problem to be solved is one part of
a pre-workshop assignment which requires rigorous
analysis of oneself and one's institution. Just as the work-
shop thus begins for participants before they arrive in
Chicago, so it also continues after they leave. They take
home a resource notebook of ideas compiled from the
pre-workshop assignment — descriptions of the most

Svein EdlanA, curator of exhibits for the Loveland Museum and Gallery,
and Signe Hanson, designer for the Boston Children's Museum, partici-
pate in one of the lively discussions that characterize the workshops.

innovative program attempted in the past year by each
participant, and his or her greatest administrative chal-
lenge, together with successful and unsuccessful solu-
tions. As alumni of the Kellogg workshops, they become
part of a growing network of museum professionals who
continue to communicate with each other — sharing
ideas, solutions to problems, struggles, frustrations, in-
spirations, and triumphs.

Thus far, 31 percent of the museums represented at
the workshops focus on history and culture, making this
the single largest group. Among those attending have
been staff from institutions commemorating former pres-
idents— the Gerald Ford Museum in Grand Rapids,
Michigan, the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and
Museum in West Branch, Iowa, and the Woodrow Wil-
son House in Washington, D.C. — as well as famous
places, such as the Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic,
Connecticut, Sleepy Hollow Restorations in Tarry-
town, New York, and the Charlestown Navy Yard of the
Boston National Historic Park.

About 25 percent of the institutions represented
focus on some area of art. Not only have several well
known institutions such as the National Gallery of Art,
in Washington, D.C.; the Metropolitan Museum of
Art, in New York; and the National Gallery of Canada

sent staff to our Kellogg workshops, but an even greater
number of smaller institutions have done so, such as the
Paine Art Center and Arboretum in Oshkosh, Wiscon-
sin; Paris Gibson Square in Great Falls, Montana; and
the Plains Art Museum in Moorhead, Minnesota. Visits
to various remote areas of the country would no doubt
turn up people who are acquainted with Field Museum,
since many small, widely distributed museums have sent
staff to our Kellogg workshops.

Natural history museums account for about 21 per-
cent of the total number of institutions attending the
workshops. Other major natural history museums in the
U. S. which rank with Field Museum in size and scope —
the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, the
American Museum of Natural History in New York, the
California Academy of Science in San Francisco, the
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, and
the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Nat-
ural History, in Washington, D.C. — have all sent staff
members to Field Museum's Kellogg workshops. But
these workshops provide professional development
opportunities for a much greater number of personnel
from medium-sized and small natural history museums,
many of which would be otherwise unable to provide
such opportunities for their staff. And the same holds
true for those museums whose purview is not natural his-
tory. One participant's comment was typical: "Because
our budget is so restricted, I have not been able to travel
to any meetings or seminars before, and didn't know
what an enriching experience it would be. It has given
me greatly increased confidence in myself, both from a
personal and professional standpoint."

The remaining 25 percent of the participating insti-
tutions comprise children's museums, science and tech-
nology museums, and museums with live collections —
aquaria, zoos, arboreta, and botanical gardens. The
diversity of institutions and their staffs has been an
important element in the design and conduct of the
workshops. Workshop participants have found they
have benefited greatly from the resulting variety of per-
spectives on common problems. Said one: "A key ele-
ment to gaining insight was the diversity of types of
museums that were represented at the Field Museum
workshop. It gave me contact with people who were
doing totally different kinds of programs, both in con-
tent and audience. In turn I found it much easier to
stretch my imagination about types of programming we
could be providing that fits easily into the scope of our
institution." "This multi-disciplinary approach opened
my eyes," commented another.

Participants evaluate the workshop upon its con-
clusion, and also report on its effects three months later
and nine months later. Their responses have been very
enthusiastic. One participant reported, "[My] museum

has improved in the area of public programs as a result of
the workshop. Prior to the workshop, many programs
were planned at the last minute. Now, more time is
spent in planning and preparation. Also, each program
is evaluated by the staff members for planning future
events. As a result, the programs have been better
planned, run more smoothly, and have had a more pro-
fessional look to them. There has also been an increased
attendance since we have time to publicize the programs
now!" A member of one of the exhibition development
workshops commented, "The workshop made me think
about my role on the team and how my performance
affects fellow team members. Although we have long felt
we worked as a team, we never stopped to discuss the
process. It's not often that one gets the luxury of taking
time to reflect. For me, the opportunity enlightened me
about the division of labor, others' constraints, and the
amount of time needed to work as a team successfully. I
think that it has made us more helpful, sensitive, con-
siderate, and less demanding. This has led to better
exhibit planning and a smoother development both in
construction and interpretation. Thank you again for
the opportunity."

As the results of the follow-up evaluations continue
to accumulate, the considerable effort that the Field
Museum staff have put into developing and conducting
the workshops is well rewarded by the impact of the pro-
grams. "Utilizing more long-range planning and forcing
ourselves to focus on more appropriate and specialized
goals is streamlining our procedures in the education
department and the museum as a whole," one partici-
pant said. Another was delighted to report that "a fund-
raising event modeled after one put on by a fellow
Kellogg participant's institution raised more money
than any single fund-raising event ever put on by our
museum. It will be an annual event!" Yet another
predicted: "I anticipate that not only will the content [of
our exhibits] continue to improve, but the types of
exhibits that we will be presenting to the public will
have greater scope. Just to be able to sit down on a reg-
ular basis and discuss how each of us sees an exhibition
developing opens many doors to improving the quality of
the message and our understanding of each other's role
and the importance of each position in providing a qual-
ity exhibition program for the public."

And that, after all, is what the Kellogg workshop
program at Field Museum is all about: enhancing the
quality of exhibits and programs, and finding new ways
to serve museum visitors better.

Museum professionals who would like more
information should contact Teresa LaMaster, program
coordinator, at (312) 922-9410, extension 361; or
Carolyn Blackmon, chairman of the Education Depart-
ment and Kellogg project director, extension 247. Ml

35th

Annual Members' Night

Friday, May 16 5:00-10:00prru.

we u«'B^SHj§4jR(» t"is year

and invite you, your famuy, andin™ as to
explore "behind-the-scenes" at Field Museum's
35th Annual Members' Night. This is our oppor-
tunity to thank our Members for their support
and your opportunity to join us for a very
special evening.

Our curators, scientists, and entire Museum
staff will be on hand to share their knowledge
through exhibits, demonstrations, and activities
and of course there will be entertainment
throughout the evening in Stanley Field Hall.

If you are coming by car you may park free
of charge in the Museum's north lot and Soldier
Field lot. Simply show your Member card or

...urn" will

originate at the Canal Street entrance of Union
Station (Canal at Jackson) and stop at the Canal
Street entrance of Northwestern Station (Canal
at Washington); Washington and State; Wash-
ington and Michigan; Adams and Michigan;
Balbo and Michigan.

Buses will begin running at 4:45pm and
continue at approximately 20-minute intervals
until the Museum closes at 10:00pm. You may
board the free "Field Museum" CTA bus by show-
ing your Member card or invitation.

Members are invited to bring family and up
to four guests at no additional charge. Special
arrangements for handicapped persons can be
made by calling 922-9410, extension 453, begin-
ning April 28.

'Behind-the-Scenes" activities will end at 9:00pm.

Lake Renwick

Unlikely Haven for the Endangered

by Jerry Sullivan

ONE OF THE FINEST natural areas in north-
eastern Illinois is a played out, water-filled
gravel pit. Carved by a scouring dragline
through 50 years of digging in the glacial
outwash just east of the town of Plainfield, it once sup-
plied raw materials for concrete and ballast for every-
thing from county roads to the building of the Joliet,
Plainfield, and Aurora Railroad.

At various times in its history, Lake Renwick, to
give the pit its proper name, has also been a beach resort
and the site of a dance hall. It remains a sort of sur-
reptitious fishing hole, a place for local kids to sneak
into, as their fathers did before them, in hopes of hook-
ing a carp or a large-mouth bass before the gravel com-
pany guard sees them.

U.S. Route 30 skirts the southern shore; the Elgin,
Joliet & Eastern tracks mark the northern boundary.
Until three years ago, the noisy rattle of the gravel
washer was a routine sound of summer.

But on three tiny islands in the middle of this
accidental lake, one of Illinois' largest and most diverse
heron rookeries provides a nesting ground for at least
four species of these long-legged birds, two of them rare
enough to earn the dubious distinction of a place on
Illinois' Endangered Species list.

The biggest of them is the great blue heron, the
largest member of its family in North America, a steel-
gray giant with a wing span of six feet. Last year, the
three tiny islands supported 73 tree-top nests of great
blues.

Just below them, hidden in the upper branches of
the box elders, are 66 nests of the sleek white great egret,
one of the endangered species. Below them, down
amidst the scrub, are more than 300 nests of the black-

crowned night heron, the other endangered species rep-
resented here.

And on the ground, an interesting alien, the cattle
egret, a moderate-size white bird, a native of the African
plains that managed to get to the American Midwest
through its own unaided efforts. Cattle egrets were first
sighted in Illinois in 1952. They began nesting at Lake
Renwick in 1970 or 1971, and last year they occupied 17
nests on these crowded little islands.

The presence of these birds in this unlikely place is
both mysterious and easily explained, a product of a
combination of accident and inexorable forces, a blend
of the patterns and regularities of natural history and the
weird contingencies of human history.

The story of Lake Renwick, like nearly everything
else in this part of the world, starts with the glaciers.
About 15,000 years ago, the towering ice front of the
Wisconsin glacier stood just a few miles to the east of this
spot. The ice was melting, wasting away, and huge tor-
rents of meltwater, milky with ground rock, were pour-
ing west toward the Illinois River valley. The speed and
volume of the moving water determines the traces left
behind. Gravel drops out at high speeds; sand can be
carried by slower water. East of the DuPage River, the
deposits, formally part of the Mackinaw Member of the
Henry Formation, are well sorted layers of sand and
gravel, a clear record of fast and slow water, laid down to
await the invention of concrete and railways.

In the somewhat shorter run, the story starts with
minor excavations for road gravel begun by the Town-
ship of Plainfield in the late years of the 19th century.
From then to now, the general outlines of the history are
quite clear, although many of the details change from
source to source.

10

Jerry Sullivan edited Chicago Area Birds, published recently by
Chicago Review Press; writes a column, "Field and Street," for
the Chicago Reader; and has written extensively on birds of the
Chicago area.

Double-crested cormorants (viewed in Florida) . A flock of these birds (en-
dangered in Illinois) took up residence at Lake Renwick during the spring
months of 1985; a pair ofimmatures spent the entire summer there.

The Chicago Gravel Company, the present own-
ers, bought the property in 1913. But the Plainfield En-
terprise reported in 1904 that "Steam shovels in the
gravel pit are doing business at the rate of about 200
carloads a day," so it seems that the site was bustling
before Chicago Gravel arrived.

Sources also differ on exactly when the steam
shovels dug down deep enough to expose the springs that
provide the water that fills the lake. A local history pre-
pared for the Bicentennial Year in 1976 suggests 1915 as a
likely date. But the same history goes on to quote an item
that appeared in the Enterprise in February, 1914, report-
ing the existence of a large-scale ice harvesting opera-
tion at the site. Ice in the winter would seem to imply
water in the summer.

Indeed, the ice harvesting may have had a larger
impact on the local economy than the gravel mining
operations. The Enterprise reports "manager Sid Gray"
starting up spring mining in March with a digging crew
of 15. In contrast, the ice harvesting, also under Mr.
Gray's direction, employed as many as 140 men, and
several teams of horses as well.

As the manpower levels suggest, ice harvesting was
mostly a matter of muscle. Gangs of men sawed huge
blocks of ice from the lake. Teams of horses outfitted
with special shoes to give them traction hauled the

blocks to the shore where men with pike poles guided
them onto a conveyor that hauled them uphill to a plan-
ing mill that sawed them into 24-inch cubes before more
men stacked them to the ceilings of storage rooms where
they would remain until summer.

You would have to say that people in those days
knew how to get the good out of a gravel pit. Sand and
gravel from March to November, ice in the winter, and
in the balmy days of summer, swimming. The Enterprise
of June 11, 1914, reports the opening of an elaborate
facility complete with sand beach, bathhouses, bathing
suits for rent, and a high diving board. A long pier was
built out to a sand bar in the middle of the lake where the
water was only two or three feet deep. A floating rope
outlined the shallow spot for the protection of novices.

Season tickets for these delights were $3 each. The
Enterprise pointed out that the money was for use of the
bathhouse. Swimmers could use the lake for free, but the
proprietors had "gone to large expense to create the con-
venience for safety, [and] the public will, no doubt, feel
generous toward them."

Two points of historical interest can be derived
from this newspaper story. First, either the owner of the
bathhouse was a conman of almost mythic dimensions or
there was already water in the gravel pit in 1914, and
second, this may have been the first use of the term Lake

Lake Renwick's ishnds, where hundreds of great blue herons, cattle egrets, great egrets, and black-crowned night herons make their home.

12

Detail of Lake Renwick island

Renwick. The lake was named for Mr. Frank W. Ren-
wick, one of the three founders of Chicago Gravel, the
company that bought the property in 1913.

We can also hazard a guess that the herons were not
at the lake. These birds like peace and quiet, and there
would have been little of either around Lake Renwick 70
years ago.

There also wouldn't have been much of anything to
eat. The first certain fish in Lake Renwick were put there
sometime in the mid-twenties. Chicago Gravel paid for
two gondola cars full of piscines — species unknown — to
be transported on the EJ&.E to the Lake Renwick siding
from whence they could be dumped in the lake. At the
time, the lake drained into Lily Cache Creek, so a screen
was erected to prevent the fish from escaping.

The fish arrived at just about the same time as the
dance hall, a lakeside building with movable walls that
could be pulled aside for summer ventilation. You can
imagine the youth of the time arriving in flivvers for a
night of what the owners described as "Your finest dance
floor, championship Charleston dancing, big city dance
music by Formento's Singing Syncopators."

Powell's Mill came along in the thirties, a lakeside
restaurant decorated with a large, Dutch-style windmill

that could be seen for miles at night when multi-colored
lights played upon it. Powell's offered barbeques, chili,
homemade bread, and hot coffee; but unfortunately, its
presence polluted the lake so badly that the beach had to
be closed.

By the mid-forties, there was nothing left at Lake
Renwick but the Chicago Gravel Company. Liability
problems forced the company to use guards to keep out
the fishermen, and by the early fifties, the gravel digging
operations had been moved north of the EJ&.E tracks.
All that remained near the lake itself was a gravel wash-
ing operation. Gravel dug north of the tracks came in on
bottom-dumping railcars that dropped it at the foot of an
inclined conveyor. The conveyor hauled it up to screens
where the sand and gravel were sorted by size, with the
bigger gravel pieces dropping out into a crusher.

This processing created some noise, but apparently
not enough to bother the birds, who arrived — well, actu-
ally nobody knows exactly when they did arrive. As in
most everything else about Lake Renwick, opinions differ.

Some long-time employees of Chicago Gravel say
that herons have been around for 50 years, but we can
reasonably guess that the birds they saw so long ago were
wandering from river-bottom nesting colonies and set-

13

14

ting down at this new lake looking for a meal. The DuPage
River is just west of the lake and a few miles farther in
that direction is the Fox. The Des Plaines River is only
about five miles to the east, and that river joins with the
Kankakee to form the Illinois just 10 miles to the south.

To a large heron, these distances are no particular
problem. They can routinely travel 15 to 20 miles
searching for food, so it would not be surprising if they
discovered the lake shortly after those first fish were
dumped into it.

Our rivers have always been highly productive, the
Illinois in particular. In pre-glacial times, the Mississippi
flowed through this channel, and that history has en-
riched the Illinois with a much larger system of oxbows
and backwater lakes than a river its present size would
normally have. Although pollution, siltation, and river-
side development have degraded it, we can reasonably
surmise that until quite recently, heron rookeries were
common along its banks.

Our first dated report comes from the Illinois Nat-
ural History Survey which recorded black-crowned
night herons "present" in the Plainfield area in 1942, but
that tells us nothing more than that somebody saw some
flying over. Certainly no nesting colonies were dis-
covered.

The first solid evidence of nesting is a color slide of
one of the islands taken by Dr. Bruce Wallin of Plain-
field, a member of the Will County Audubon Society, in
the summer of 1960. The picture plainly shows black-
crowned night herons and great egrets nesting in the
trees. A bird-finding guide published by the Illinois Au-
dubon Society reports the birds as nesting at Lake
Renwick from 1961 on.

When the birders discovered the lake, the informa-
tion began to get a little more solid. Beginning in the
sixties, Lake Renwick became a regular stop for Chicago
area birders. They came in early spring and late fall to
look for migrating waterfowl and during the rest of the
warmer months for the herons. Birders reported the
arrival of the cattle egrets as nesters 15 years ago and the
addition of great blues to the mix in the mid-seventies.

The birding action at Lake Renwick starts in late
February when the ice begins to melt. A few great blue
herons regularly winter along the Illinois River, and they
are probably the birds that appear with the opening of
the lake waters. The migrating ducks come early too,
mostly dabbling species that feed on aquatic plants grow-
ing in the shallow water along the northwest shore.

The great egrets are next to arrive, beginning about
the last week in March. The black-crowned night

Great egret (breeding plumage)

Cattle egrets

John H. Gerard. Alton. L

herons come in shortly after, and by mid-April, the cat-
tle egrets have completed the cast.

March and April are very busy months around Lake
Renwick, as the birds gather sticks for rehabbing nests.
There is simply no space left for new nests, so touching
up last year's is the only option the birds have. The bird-
ers watch from Route 30, since a fence and the company
guards prevent them from getting any closer. This is
birding of a sort to satisfy the most sedentary. Just pull off
onto the shoulder of the highway and look. If you really
hate exercise, you don't even have to get out of your car.
The rookery islands are about 600 yards away, and the
comings and goings of the big birds are easily visible.
Binoculars will bring them closer. A spotting scope will
put you right on top of them.

There is one person with a better view. Joe
Milosevich is an art teacher and gallery director at Joliet
Junior College and the president of the Will County
Chapter of Illinois Audubon Society. He lives just a half
a mile south of the lake, and for the past four years he has
been the official census taker at the Lake Renwick heron
rookery.

Joe is the one lucky soul who has permission from
Chicago Gravel to enter company property. He can
drive his car to the north shore of the lake, just 200 yards
from the rookery islands. From that superb vantage
point, he can count nests until the emerging leaves hide
them and watch the young of the year begin to explore
the world.

Joe's numbers, added to the somewhat less system-
atic numbers of earlier counters, show that the Lake
Renwick herons are enjoying a population explosion.
Great egrets were building about a dozen nests 15 years

Black-crowned night heron

ago. They reached 20 nests in the late seventies; last
year, they built 66. Black-crowned night heron numbers
increased by over 100 in just one year, from 273 in 1983
to 390 nests in 1984. And the great blue herons have
gone from zero in the mid-seventies to 38 in 1983, 57 in
1984, and 73 in 1985.

And there's more. With Joe checking the place
carefully throughout the breeding season, we know that
small flocks of double-crested cormorants — another of
Illinois' endangered birds — stayed at the lake for most of
April and May last year, and two immature birds spent
the whole summer. A snowy egret wearing the exquisite,
lacy nuptial plumes of an adult bird ready to breed, spent

Ninth Annual Spring Systematics Symposium
Saturday, May 10, 8:50am to 4:30pm

This year's symposium topic is "Evolution of Human Hunting"
and features ten speakers. The preregistration fee (until April 10)
is $10. Registration after that date is $15. Registration forms may
be obtained by writing Dr. H. M. Nitecki at Field Museum; they
may also be obtained at the Museum on May 10 before the talks
begin.

16

June and half of July at the lake. Snowies are also en-
dangered here. They are known to nest in only two loca-
tions in the whole state. More adults showed up for the
last half of July, and Milosevich saw a group of two adults
and two immatures at the end of August. His cold-
blooded, objective, scientific side, reports "no evidence
of breeding," but his enthusiastic, hopeful, birder's side
says "I keep looking."

The question now is whether there will be a place
for him to look. Will County Audubon Society has been
pushing for three years for protection for Lake Renwick.
The Will County Forest Preserve District has agreed to
buy it, and a federal grant has been obtained to pay for
half of the purchase. The state has agreed to pick up
another 25 percent of the tab, and a private organization
based in Chicago, The Upper Illinois Valley Associa-
tion, a group consisting mainly of prominent business
leaders who are interested in making a reality out of the
I&M National Heritage Corridor, has agreed to raise
funds to cover the other 25 percent.

Chicago Gravel is eager to unload the property.
They are not making any money from it and they are still
paying taxes on the land. The vexed question is the

value of the place. Will County's appraisers have come
up with a figure that is about half of what Chicago
Gravel's appraisers think is a fair price. The company has
come down from that first figure, but there is still a yawn-
ing gulf between the parties. At this writing, the county
is beginning proceedings to exercise its right of eminent
domain, so it will be up to a court to determine a final
price.

If all goes well, the county will take over the prop-
erty and administer it as a nature preserve. Their plans
call for some marsh restoration along the shore lines, a
new fence around the property, and an absolute mini-
mum of human interference with the birds. An observa-
tion tower, or if that seems too obtrusive, some observa-
tion blinds, could be put up along the north shore. With
them in place, the lake could be a splendid educational
resource, a chance for close and continuing scrutiny of
the birds.

But problems may be developing. Human activity
made this rookery possible, and it may take more such
action to keep it healthy. The rookery islands are tiny
things, not much more than six feet wide and less than
200 feet long. The box elders that invaded them have
now endured more than two decades of herons, and
some of the trees are beginning to collapse under the
strain.

A rookery is a place that only a heron could love. A
little excrement is great fertilizer, but the constant rain
of droppings from all those big birds may be too much of a
good thing. And then there is the mechanical damage
produced by all those thousands of takeoffs and landings.
And if that isn't enough, beavers in the lake are appar-
ently thinning out some of the understory trees. There
are rookeries elsewhere whose nests are built on man-
made platforms, and that kind of construction may be-
come necessary at Lake Renwick.

And then there are all those great blue herons.
They are the earliest arrivals in the spring and they nest
in the very tops of the trees. It is possible that their con-
stantly growing presence will eventually do harm to the
species that nest below them.

Nature has means of dealing with these problems.
In the old days, herons just moved if the trees fell down.
If great blue herons messed up the lives of black-crowned
night herons, the night herons sought another nesting
place. But the facts of life today are that humans have
destroyed the other nesting places. It may take thought-
ful, cautious intervention to ensure that we keep getting
the good out of this gravel pit. FM

Great blue heron

Copyright © 1982 J. L Lepore; the National Audobon Society Collection. Photo Researchers. Inc

Robert E. Peary: Arctic Explorer and Collector
for the World's Columbian Exposition

by
James W. Van Stone

Curator, North American Archaeology and Ethnology

18

The Polar Eskimos of Smith Sound, northwest Green-
land, have long been famous as the most northern
peoples in the world. When first contacted by the British
explorer John Ross in 1818, they had lived in isolation
for so long that they believed themselves to be the only
people in the world. It is therefore remarkable that Field
Museum possesses the earliest ethnographic collection
from these remote peoples, acquired at the time the

institution was established following the close of the
World's Columbian Exposition in 1893. The means by
which this collection was obtained represents an inter-
esting footnote to the early history of Field Museum's
ethnographic holdings.

In 1891, Frederic Ward Putnam, curator of the Pea-
body Museum of American Archaeology and Ethnology
at Harvard University, was appointed chief of the

Department of Ethnology and Archaeology for the
World's Columbian Exposition. His task was to assemble
a large anthropological collection for the 1893 world's
fair, and for this purpose field parties to various parts of
the world were directed to collect ethnographic objects
and other materials representing many different cul-
tures. One of these parties, an expedition to northwest
Greenland, was under the command of Lieutenant
Robert Edwin Peary of the United States Navy.

Lieutenant Peary eventually became a rear admiral
and received worldwide recognition for his arctic
explorations, particularly his achievement in reaching
the North Pole in 1909. In 1891, however, he was serv-
ing as chief engineer at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. He
received an appointment to lead an arctic expedition for
the American Geographical Society and the Academy
of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. It was during this
expedition (1891-92), the first of four to the country of
the Polar Eskimo, that Peary made the collection for
Putnam and the World's Columbian Exposition.

Putnam obtained an appropriation of $10,000 from
the executive committee of the exposition to be used for
the purchase of ethnographic specimens from members
of expeditions about to depart for various parts, of North
America. The principal goals of Peary's Greenland
expedition were to determine the northernmost exten-

sion of the subcontinent and to collect materials and
information of scientific interest. Putnam agreed to pay
$2,000 for ethnographic and archaeological materials
from the Polar Eskimo and specifically requested that
Peary make as complete a collection as possible.

The North Greenland Expedition, as it came to be
called, was originally conceived on a modest scale.
Eventually, Peary received more support than he had
anticipated and Putnam soon realized that the expedi-
tion would not be devoted to the collection of materials
exclusively for the world's fair. He became worried that
he might not obtain all the materials necessary for his
conception of the exhibition if other institutions were to
receive a share of the collected objects. After some nego-
tiations, a memorandum of agreement between Peary
and Putnam was drawn up on June 2, 1891, just three
days before the expedition sailed. It read in part as
follows:

Mr. Peary to be appointed by Mr. Putnam as Special Assis-
tant in charge of Ethnological and Archaeological work in
Greenland for the World's Columbian Exposition, and is to
obtain all objects possible, illustrative of the life and cus-
toms and the arts of the Arctic Highlanders inhabiting the
Whale Sound region, in particular, and such other natives
of Greenland as may be practical; also photographs and
measurements of the people, and, if possible, moulds of a
man, woman, and child, for the purpose of making models

The Kite in Melville Bay

19

20

Smith Sound region of northwestern Greenland (map of Greenland inset
upper right).

of actual life size in every particular. Also all objects of past
and present times he may be able to secure, relating to the
life of the people, their weapons, utensils, ornaments, etc.
and several sets of garments with which to dress a series of
models of men, women, and children. Also a stone house,
to be so taken down and to be rebuilt in Chicago by the aid
of drawings and photographs and descriptions; with this
house to be all its contents — beds, lamps, utensils, etc.
Also, drawings and photographs of a snow house, so that a
model of one can be made in Chicago; the contents of such
a house also to be secured for furnishing the model. Several
skeletons and contents of graves to be secured and if possi-
ble, a large number of skulls of the natives. If any native
boats exist among the people, one or more to be secured.
Sledges and skins of dogs to be secured, both with full
harness; and the skins of native mammals and birds used by
the natives for food and dress. In fact all objects relating to
the conditions of life of the people.

Dr. Frederick A. Cook

The North Greenland Expedition, including
Peary's wife, sailed in the steam sealer Kite, reaching
Godhavn, Greenland on June 27 and Upernavik on July
1. On July 11, Peary broke his right leg and was unable to
take an active part in the affairs of the expedition until
September. A permanent camp, named Red Cliff (or
Redcliffe) House, was established in McCormick Bay at
the entrance of Inglefield Gulf on July 25. A dwelling
was set up and four days later the Kite left the party and
headed south.

The expedition's surgeon and ethnologist was Dr.
Frederick A. Cook, who later gained considerable
notoriety for his claims to have reached the North Pole
before Peary. It is likely that the bulk of the ethnographic
objects collected specifically for the World's Columbian
Exposition were obtained by Dr. Cook.

On July 24, just before reaching McCormick Bay,
the Kite stopped at Nettik, a small Eskimo village of
three tents on Whale Sound where according to Mrs.
Peary, "we hoped to obtain a native house, sledge,
kayak, and various utensils for the World's Columbian
Exposition." Knives, saws, files, and other tools were
traded for seal skins and narwhal tusks. The only ethnog-
raphic objects mentioned are a "skin house with its inte-
rior fittings complete," and a sledge, all of which were
obtained in exchange for a hatchet, a saw, and two files.

These ethnographic materials were shipped back

on the Kite, and in a letter dated July 29 which Lieu-
tenant Peary sent on the ship to Putnam, he mentioned
erroneously that most of the objects were obtained at a
settlement called Ittiblu approximately 23 km. further
up Whale Sound from Nettik.

After leaving Peary and his small party on the
shores of McCormick Bay, the Kite stopped at an Eskimo
settlement on Cape York. Here representatives of the
Academy of Natural Sciences made a fairly sizeable
collection of ethnographic material. The Cape York
Eskimos appeared to have had more contact with Euro-
peans or with Eskimos to the south than the residents of
Nettik, as there was more evidence of the use of iron and
wood.

Meanwhile, in mid-August Peary's explorations in
the vicinity of the permanent camp got under way with a
boat trip to the islands in the vicinity of McCormick
Bay. Dr. Cook traded for ethnographic objects at a small
village of 13 inhabitants called Kiatak on Northumber-
land Island. He noted that each man in this settlement
possessed a kayak, a harpoon, a lance, and a bird net.
Two possessed bows and arrows, a number of rolls of
sealskin line, and some narwhal sinew.

Beginning in early November, a number of Eskimo
families began to arrive at Red Cliff House. By Novem-
ber 7 there were 17 men, women, and children living
around the camp and other families arrived and departed

Lieutenant Peary with broken leg

throughout the winter. Dr. Cook made anthropometric-
al measurements of 75 individuals during the winter and
Peary himself obtained a complete series of photographs
of the same persons. Dr. Cook appears to have taken the
census, enumerating a total of 233 Polar Eskimos.
Whether or not any of this non-artifactual material was
turned over to Putnam along with the ethnographic ob-
jects cannot be determined. The photographs and cen-
sus data were published in Peary's book dealing with the
expedition.

Drawing of Red Cliff House — McCormick Bay

21

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4

Mrs. Pear\ distributing riouserio/d items

In April Peary made a sledge trip around the south-
ern and eastern shore of Inglefield Gulf and stopped at
several villages to obtain dogs and purchase walrus meat,
furs, and other equipment for planned explorations to
the north. The Eskimos encountered were anxious to
barter their possessions and although there is no men-
tion of specific items, it is likely that ethnographic ob-
jects were obtained. In any event, considerable amounts
of trade goods were distributed in exchange for the items
Peary required.

It was in the spring of 1892 that the major work of
the expedition was carried out. Departing from Red Cliff
House in late May, Peary and one companion, proceed-
ing overland, reached the head of Independence Fjord at
82° N. latitude on July 4. By August 6 they were back on
the shores of McCormick Bay. During Peary's absence,
Dr. Cook obtained ethnographic objects from the Eski-
mos living at Red Cliff House in exchange for pieces of
boards, barrel staves, boxes, and miscellaneous lumber
fragments no longer needed by the expediton.

The Kite, meanwhile, had left Philadelphia on July
5 to pick up Peary and the members of his party. The
vessel reached Cape York on July 22 and on the follow-
ing day put ashore once again at the settlement-of Nettik
on Whale Sound. Here representatives of the Academy
of Sciences secured a "rich" collection of ethnographic
material in exchange for needles, knives, scissors, thim-
bles, and other useful items. Late at night on July 23 the
Kite reached Peary's winter quarters to find that the
lieutenant had not yet returned from his trip to the
north.

On August 9, three days after his return from the
22 overland expedition, Peary set out on a second trip to

Inglefield Gulf, this time by boat. One of the purposes of
this trip, which lasted approximately one week while the
Kite was standing by, was to obtain ethnographic objects
at the villages called Qanaq and Nunatarssuaq. These
materials had been promised by residents of the settle-
ments during the winter and at the time of Peary's first
trip in April. Unfortunately, neither Lieutenant nor
Mrs. Peary's accounts of this brief expedition into the
Gulf make any further mention of these objects or
whether they were, in fact, obtained. In any event, the
ethnographic material secured throughout the year was
shipped out on the Kite, which left McCormick Bay on
August 24 and reached Philadelphia on September 24,
1892.

As a result of Peary's letter of July 29 and informa-
tion transmitted through the Academy of Natural Sci-
ences, Putnam, who had no way of knowing what might
be collected during the winter and spring, became con-
cerned at the meager amount of material he was going to
receive. He also was unhappy to learn that part of what
had been obtained was to be assigned to the Academy.
As a result, he balked at making the final payment of
$500 due Lieutenant Peary at the conclusion of the
expedition.

Just how much of the collection went to Philadel-
phia cannot now be determined with certainty. The
academy would certainly have been justified in retaining
those items collected at Cape York by its representatives
on board the Kite in the late summer of 1891 and at
Nettik in July, 1892. That institution no longer has eth-
nographic collections, and the present whereabouts of
their Polar Eskimo material is unknown.

A note in the accession files of Field Museum's
Department of Anthropology states that "the bulk of the

Eskimo family and tent, Northumberland Island

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collection is now in the Columbian Museum." Putnam
was thus apparently successful in acquiring most of the
collection for his exhibition. Even that amount, how-
ever, was apparently a good deal less than he expected,
although it at least approximated what was mentioned in
the memorandum of agreement. However, considering
the fact that Peary was in almost constant contact with
Eskimos throughout the winter and spring of 1891-92
and frequently traded with them for meat and skins for
clothing, it is difficult to escape the conclusion that the
acquisition of an ethnographic collection, although of
some interest, was not particularly high on his list of
priorities for the expedition.

At the conclusion of the world's fair, the scientific
collections which had been acquired with exposition
funds were turned over to the Field Columbian Museum
as a nucleus to found the institution subsequently re-
named Field Museum of Natural History. Putnam be-
came curator of Anthropology at the American Museum
of Natural History on a part-time basis and continued his
association with Peary. During the latter's next expedi-
tion to Greenland in 1893, he began a collection of Polar
Eskimo material for the American Museum. This collec-
tion was augmented on future trips and was eventually
published by A. L. Kroeber, a student of Franz Boas at
Columbia University.

Up to 1891 when Peary began his series of expedi-
tions to the Smith Sound region, little change had
occurred in Polar Eskimo life. Limited amounts of wood
and metal had been obtained from whalers, early explor-
ers, and through trade with Eskimos to the south and
these exotic materials enabled the people to improve
their hunting gear and other equipment to a limited ex-
tent. However, their culture was, in all essentials, virtu-
ally untouched by outside contacts.

During four expeditions over a period of six years,
Peary supplied Eskimo families that helped him (which
at one time or other included virtually everyone in the
area) with considerable amounts of hardwood, food,
guns and other weapons, thimbles, needles, metal
knives, steel traps, tobacco, and many other items.
Writing with reference to the early years of the present
century, the Danish anthropologist Knud Rasmussen
stated emphatically that "it is Peary who has given the
tribe its present effective equipment for winning a liveli-
hood."

An example of the largesse with which the Eskimos
must have associated the appearance of Peary on their
coast occurred at the end of the expedition which ac-
quired the items of material culture for the World's
Columbian Exposition. In early August of 1892, as the
Kite waited off the coast of McCormick Bay, Peary wrote
that his wife

The Kite at the wharf in Philadelphii

. . . distributed the household utensils to the delighted
women of the village, and then both women and men were
assembled upon the beach, and everything I did not care to
take home with me given to them, together with untold
wealth sent them [on the Kite] by kind friends of the
expedition in Philadelphia, in the shape of wood, knives,
iron kettles, etc. — treasures priceless to the Eskimo mind.

Since this scene was to be repeated many times in the
future, it is little wonder that Peary could write at the
conclusion of his fourth expedition in 1897: "The effect
of my expeditions upon these children of the North
has been to raise the entire tribe to a condition of
affluence." FM

NOTE

This article is adapted from J. VanStone, "The First Peary Collection
of Polar Eskimo Material Culture" (Fieldiana: Anthropology, vol. 63,
no. 2, 1972). Most of the information and illustrations presented
here were obtained from the following sources:

Davis, G. G. and R. N. Keely

1892 In Arctic Seas. The Voyage of the Kite with the Peary
Expedition. RufusC. Hartranft, Philadelphia.

Peary, J. D.

1897 My Arctic Journal. A Year Among the Ice-Fields and
Eskimos. The Contemporary Publishing Co., New York.

Peary, R. E.

1898 Northward over "Great Ice." A Narrative of Life and
Work along the Shores and upon the Interior Ice-Cap of
Northern Greenland in the Years 1886 and l*1'!

2 vols. Frederick A. Stokes Company, New York.

■

Henry Field

1902 - 1986

by W. Peyton Fawcett

Field Museum Librarian

jl ield Museum learned with deep regret of the death in
early January of a long-time friend and former curator,
Dr. Henry Field. Dr. Field was a native Chicagoan, born
in 1902, and a grandnephew of the Museum's founder,
Marshall Field.

Most of his early life was spent in England where he
received his education, first at Eton College and later at
Oxford University, from which he received the degrees
B.A. (1925), M.A. (1929), and Doctor of Science
(1937). "My first desire," Dr. Field has written, "after
graduating from Oxford, was to work in a museum, and it
had been my dream since childhood to return someday
Henry Field (1940s)

7845!

ber of expeditions, including the Field Museum-Oxford
University Joint Expedition to Kish, Iraq; the Marshall
Field Archaeological Expedition to Western Europe; the
Marshall Field North Arabian Desert Expeditions; and
the Field Museum Archaeological Expeditions to West-
ern Europe. These expeditions resulted in important
additions to the Museum's collections, three major
exhibits, and a number of scientific works published in
the Museum's Fieldiana series, including Arabs of Central
Iraq, their history, ethnology, and physical characters (1935);
Useful plants and drugs of Iran and Iraq (with David Hoop-
er, 1937); and Contributions to the Anthropology of Iran

to Chicago. Both desire and dream were to be realized,
for I received an appointment as Assistant Curator of
Physical Anthropology, at Field Museum of Natural His-
tory." Dr. Field served as assistant curator (later curator)
from 1926 to January of 1941. He left the Museum in
1941 to become an advisor to President Franklin
Roosevelt during World War II. After the war he was
engaged in largely private research, but he also held
appointments at the Peabody Museum of Harvard Uni-
versity and the University of Miami, among others.

Dr. Field's years at Field Museum were especially
productive ones. He was a member, or leader, of a num-

(two volumes, 1939). The last work was translated into
the Persian language (Farsi) and published in Tehran
in 1966.

During his tenure Dr. Field planned and directed
two major exhibits, the Hall of Races of Mankind, con-
taining 100 sculptures by Malvina Hoffman, and the
Hall of Stone Age of the Old World, with eight large
dioramas by Frederick Blaschke. He also participated in
planning the Hall of Mesopotamian Archaeology. To
accompany these exhibits Dr. Field wrote many articles
in the Field Museum News, precursor of the present Bulle-
tin, and several works in the Popular Series: The Races

of Mankind (four editions, 1933-42); Prehistoric Man
(three editions, 1933-41); and The Field Museum-Oxford
University ]oint Expedition to Kish, Mesopotamia, 1923-
1929 (1929).

Dr. Field's popular works most clearly display his
genuine delight in his scientific studies and, in particu-
lar, the travels and expeditions that accompanied them.
He was a graceful writer, able to communicate his knowl-
edge and enthusiasm to a general audience. This is most
clearly demonstrated in his The Track of Man: Adventures
of an Anthropologist (New York, 1953). This immensely
successful work was reprinted many times. Persons inter-
ested in anthropology and Field Museum will find it a
very rewarding book. In later years Dr. Field published
three other autobiographical works: Arabian Desert Tales
(1976, revised edition 1977); Trail Blazers: Chicago to
Moscow (1980); and The Track of Man: Volume 2, The
White House Years, 1941-1945 (1982). These and other
works by Dr. Field may be consulted in the Museum's
Library, which possesses a large number of his more than
850 scientific and popular books, papers, and articles. A
list of these may be found in his Bibliography: 1926-
1976 (1976).

Dr. Field's interest in Field Museum was a continu-
ing one that was still strong 35 years after he had left.
The Library, in particular, has been augmented by his
many gifts of books and papers over the years, culminat-
ing in the gift of his library of over 1,000 volumes on
Southwestern Asia, including many early works on
travel and exploration. A later gift of archival material
was received, including reports and diaries, and a copy of
the typescript of The Track of Man.

Dr. Field has left a body of useful work that will be
long remembered at Field Museum and elsewhere. He is
still remembered at Kish, though for a somewhat differ-
ent reason, as evinced by this anecdote related by a
Field Museum Member: During the Museum's excavations
at Kish, probably in the late 1920s or early 1930s, Dr.
Field "managed to get his open touring car from Beirut to
the site — an expedition in itself. In 1974 a member of
the Field Museum was in Iraq [and] went to Kish with an
archaeologist who had dug there too. As they were
wandering through the ruins they were joined by some
children from the village. The member mentioned to his
companion the name 'Henry Field.' Suddenly the chil-
dren came to life. One started dancing in a Charleston-
type fashion. Another pretended to be driving a car,
crouching over a pretend steering wheel and making
appropriate noises — everyone getting into the act.
These children were at least two generations younger
than the man who had worked for Henry Field, but he
had made such an impact on the village, taking them for
rides, teaching them dancing that he was a legend in
his time." FH

Giving — AND — Receiving

Anyone who has given property generously is well
aware of the satisfaction received. But do you realize
there are ways you can give to Field Museum of Natural
History and receive both the joy of giving and an income
for life?

By transferring cash, stock, real estate, or other
property to the Museum, you can establish a trust, pro-
viding either a fixed or variable income for life. After
your lifetime, the Museum receives the trust assets for its
Endowment, which, in turn, gives the Museum income
in perpetuity.

You may, instead, choose to join the Museum's
Pooled Income Fund, by transferring a minimum of
$10,000 (again, in cash or stock) in exchange for lifetime
payments. Through the Pooled Income Fund you can
benefit from professional management of funds and
make a substantial gift to the Museum's Endowment at
the end of your life. Once joining the Pooled Income
Fund, you can add to your income interest at any time in
$1,000 increments.

For more information about these planned giving
methods, send today for our complimentary brochures
on life income trusts.

• clip and mail today-

To: Clifford Buzard

Planned Giving Officer
Field Museum of Natural History
Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605-2490

□ Please send me your complimentary materials on life
income trusts.

Name-

(please print)
Address

City.

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Phone: (home) .

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Tours for Members

North Cape and Spitzbergen

June 27- July 12
$3,550-$6,440

Sail to the Land of the Midnight Sun, to the North Cape, where the sun
shines 24 hours a day, aboard the "ultra deluxe" Vistafjord. This Five-Star
ship represents the very epitome of ocean-going elegance: impeccable ser-
vice, first-class cuisine, dazzling entertainment, luxurious living, and un-
rivaled attention to detail.

June 28. Embarkation from Hamburg, Germany. Here on the River
Elbe is one of Europe's brightest and most exciting cities. Explore the
entertainments of the St. Paul district, go sightseeing to City Hall and
shopping along the busy Mockebergstrasse, or drive out to the peace and
quiet of the picturesque Alster Lakes.

June 30. Molde, Norway. An unusually warm climate graces this
delightful Norwegian town, which lies in the path of the Gulf Stream. Of
special note: Romsdal Museum, an open-air compound of carefully
assembled wooden houses dating back to the time of the Vikings. Aan-
dalsnes, Norway. This small, picturesque village on the banks of the
Rauma River lies below the soaring mountains and tumbling waterfalls of
the Romsdal Valley. Ascend Stifjell mountain and cross the lofty bridge
over Stigfoss Waterfalls. There are superb views down the Isterdal Valley, a
fertile land filled with quiet peaceful farms.

July 3. Magdalena Bay, Spitzbergen. Massive glaciers in Spitzbergen's
mountains inch their way down to the sea and Magdalena Bay, providing
one of the world's most awesome natural spectacles. Cruising Lillehhok
Fjord. Sailing past New Aalesund.

July 4. Longyearbyen, Spitzbergen. This is Spitzbergen's main settle-
ment, located at the head of Advent Bay. It looks out on a coastline of
seals, walrus, whales, and thousands of seabirds. Longyearbyen was
named by an American engineer who founded it in 1906; the search for
coal is still pursued in nearby Barentsburg.

July 5. Skarsvaag, Norway. Here is the most northerly point in Europe.
Up the road and across the tundra from Skarsvaag, you will have a rare
and awe-inspiring opportunity — a chance to stand on 1,000 ft. cliffs with
nothing but polar ice-pack between you and the Arctic Ocean. In the sum-
mer, as you shall see, the sun shines all the time — 24 hours a day.
July 6. Hammerfest, Norway. The brightly painted houses of the
world's most northerly town contrast greatly with the harsh hills which
are its backdrop. The attractive little shops offer a wide array of fine crafts,
and the Hammerfest Museum records more than 200 years of the town's
rich history.

Tromso, Norway. Sheltered by the islands along this craggy coastline,
Tromso has long been an important fishing port and the largest city along
the Arctic Circle. It was from Tromso that the famous explorer Admund-
sen staged his great expedition to the North Pole.

July 7. Narvik, Norway. This shipping port along the ice-blue fjords is
surrounded by snow-tipped peaks that rival any in the country. Visit the
crystal clear Rombaksfjord, which can be crossed via a magnificent new
suspension bridge, then continue on to Bjerkvik and Gratangen, where
you'll be surrounded by some of northern Europe's most beautiful
wildflowers.

July 8. Sailing past the Arctic Circle and several seaside towns.
July 9. Hellesylt, Norway. An excellent starting point for excursions
through a land where mountains soar to dizzying heights and waterfalls
spread their lacework across the cliffs. Visit the orchards strung together in
a brilliant garland of blossoms.

Geiranger, Norway. Geiranderfjord is one of the most splendid in all
of Norway, enclosed on both sides by precipitous walls of rock. Visit
Geiranger's tiny octagonal church, ascend Mt. Diasnibba and take in a
magnificent panoramic view of the mountains, lakes and waterfalls. And
save time to visit Tystig branch of Europe's most enormous glacier.
July 10. Bergen, Norway. This town of seven hills was founded in 1070
and is now one of Norway's major seaports. Windows on its past include
the Hth-century fortress of Bergenhus, the Rosenkrantz Tower and
26 Edvard Grieg's home at Troldhaugen, while present day Norway is typi-
fied by the busy fish and flower market.

July 12. We disembark in Hamburg, Germany.

Bertram G. Woodland, curator of petrology at Field Museum, will
accompany the tour. He received his B.Sc. (honors) at the University of
Wales and his Ph.D. at the University of Chicago. He will enrich this lovely
cruise with his thorough knowledge of the rock formations and geologic
history of the fjords, and discussions on the many interesting excursions.
Working as a lecturer/tour leader is not a new experience for Bert, as he
has escorted Field Museum groups through England and Wales (his native
country), Galena, Illinois and several Grand Canyon rafting expeditions.

English Homes and Country Tour

July 1—15

$2,725 (double occupancy)

The "treasure houses" of Britain are best experienced within their
architectural context and amidst their natural landscapes. Here we travel
the paths of history and culture in the most immediate sense. But unlike
most tours that rush you around for a cursory introduction, Field Museum
is offering the discriminating traveler an opportunity to get to the heart of
the English people and live in the English countryside as they do. The
English are a thoroughly hospitable people, making you feel truly wel-
come as they take you into their comfortable homes as a guest of special
importance. Past travelers have made lasting friendships with their hosts,
returning again and again, even reciprocating the welcome as their Eng-
lish friends visited here. This view of a remarkable country is rare indeed,
and especially relaxing since you stay several days in one home instead of
spending your time on a bus. We stay in the southeastern counties where
charming thatched villages complement vast cathedrals and living
hedgerows set off lush royal gardens. Your hosts and hostesses include
baronets, generals, company directors, doctors, members of Parliament,
and landowners. Their homes range from mansions to more modest yet
extremely comfortable cottages. Accommodations include use of a private
bathroom.

Come and visit this 'tied to the past' yet forward-looking and charm-
ing country. Inquire into the customs and foibles of the people as you tour
with not only a local guide, but with a scholar from Field Museum, who
was born and raised in this remarkable country. Dr. Peter Crane got his
Ph.D. in botany at the University of Reading. He is an associate curator in
the Department of Geology at Field Museum and was recognized as one of
ten "Outstanding Young Citizens" by the Chicago Junior Association of
Commerce and Industry in 1985. He is excited about this unusual travel
opportunity in his native country and invites you to join him and his
countrymen in an exploration of English Homes and Country.

July 1. Depart Chicago O'Hare for Heathrow.

July 2. Arrive Heathrow. Met by tour director; board luxury coach for
drive to Canterbury. Meet hostesses and drive to their homes to unpack
and freshen up before lunch. At leisure for the rest of the day. In the eve-
ning dinner with hostesses.

July 3. Canterbury. A day in and around Canterbury. First a tour of
the cathedral personally introduced by a canon from the cathedral staff,
followed by a wander in Canterbury before lunch. After lunch further
time to wander in Canterbury before visiting the village of Fordwich,
which has the oldest town hall in England. Dinner in a private house.
July 4. South Kent. Drive south to the Cinque Port of Rye with its
steep cobbled streets and period houses, and the world famous Mermaid
Pub. A short drive to Bodiam Castle, built in 1386 to defend the Rother
Valley from incursions by the French, followed by lunch at the Castle Pub.
Another short drive to Great Dixter, a house built about 1450 (not long
after Chaucer) and which now has a lovely garden containing a wide
variety of unusual and interesting plants. Dinner in a private house.

July 5. Mid-Kent. After breakfast a leisurely drive to Leeds Castle for a
private tour of what was described by Lord Conway as the "loveliest castle
in the world." On through typical Kent countryside to Sissinghurst Castle,
with its well-known and very beautiful garden. After lunch in the Castle
restaurant, a short drive to Godinton Park for a private visit to this man-
sion with its fine Stuart panelling, carving, and magnificent furniture and
porcelain. Dinner with hostesses.

July 6. Travel To Cambridge. Goodbye to the Canterbury hostesses. A
short drive to the great Norman cathedral at Rochester in the heart of
Dickens country where those who wish may attend a service. Then by
tunnel under the River Thames northward into the county of Essex for
lunch in a Tudor pub. After lunch a drive through the changing East
Anglian countryside to meet and dine with Cambridge hostesses.
July 7. Suffolk. A day in Suffolk countryside immortalized by artist
John Constable. First to Newmarket, home of the Sport of Kings, and
center of the racing industry for a private tour of the Gallops, Tattersalls
Selling Ring and Jockey Club for sherry. Lunch in Newmarket before driv-
ing to the medieval town of Bury St. Edmunds with its beautiful cathedral.
In the late afternoon a short drive to Lavenham with time to explore the
Guildhall dating from the 1520s, and the most splendid of all "Wool"
churches before dining in one of the oldest buildings in Lavenham, the
famous Swan Hotel.

July 8. Cambridge. A day in and around Cambridge, first visiting his-
toric colleges and churches including Kings College Chapel, followed by a
visit to the American Military Cemetery at Madingley which com-
memorates those Americans who died in northwest Europe in World War
II. Lunch at a private house close to Cambridge. The afternoon in Cam-
bridge exploring the city before dining with hostesses.
July 9. Travel To Chichester. After bidding farewell to Cambridge hos-
tesses a drive south to West Sussex bypassing London to the west, and
stopping for a pub lunch on the way. In the afternoon visit the Royal
Horticultural Society Gardens at Wisley. These world-famous gardens
contain an extraordinary collection of plants, flowers, trees, and shrubs,
and attract visits by horticulturists from all over the world. A further jour-
ney to meet and later dine with hostesses.

July 10. Chichester. First to Bosham to visit Trinity Church of King
Canute fame before going to Chichester for a stroll through the Pallants to
the Hospice of St. Mary, then lunch in the Dolphin and Anchor. A Private
tour of the Cathedral and free time to explore before having supper at the
Festival Theatre Restaurant and attending a performance at the theatre.
July 11. Winchester. A drive west, skirting Portsmouth and South-
ampton, to Broadlands, home of the late Lord Mountbatten. A short drive
to Winchester for lunch in the Wessex Hotel before visiting the cathedral
and wandering in its environs. Return to Chichester through the rolling
countryside of West Sussex. Dinner with Hostesses.
July 12. Mid-Sussex. Visit Boxgrove Priory which dates from the 12th
century. A short drive to the thatched village of Amberley which nestles at
the foot of the Downs. A pub lunch. Then to Petworth, a magnificent late
17th-century house which includes among its treasures works by Van
Dyke and Turner, and a Grinling Gibbons room. A private dinner at Good-
wood House followed by a tour of this historic home of the Dukes of Rich-
mond and Gordon.

July 13th. Travel to London. Goodbye to Chichester hostesses, and
drive to London for an orientation tour through the West End and City
before arriving at the Mandeville Hotel and settling in there before lunch.
Free afternoon and evening.

July 14. London. Free day and evening in London. The booklet on
London in the personal folders given to each guest on arrival in England
lists places of interest, how to get there and times of opening. A private
tour of the Palace of Westminster, provided the Houses of Parliament are
not in recess, will be arranged for those who wish.

July 15. Tour Ends. Those returning home will be escorted to London
Heathrow by our tour director. Arrive Chicago O'Hare.

Alaska

$4,885
July 2-16

Experience the Great Land. Descriptions of Alaska are filled with super-
latives— a state more than twice the size of Texas with a population less

than that of Denver, 33,000 miles of coastline, 119 million acres of forest,
14 of the highest peaks in the United States culminating in Mt. Denali
(formerly Mt. McKinley), at 20,320 feet. Alaska is equally a land of wild-
life superlatives, from her great herds of caribou to swarming seabird
rookeries to surging salmon in migration. When one thinks of Alaska one
thinks of wilderness, of nature still fresh and undomesticated, of experi-
ences dreamed of but mostly unavailable to us of the lower 48.

Join us for an Alaskan odyssey through a wide range of habitats from
the rockbound fur seal and sea bird colonies of the Pribilofs, to the drip-
ping forest and calving glaciers of the southeast, to the grandeur of the
Alaskan Range, to the Fjordlike quiet and beauty of the inland passage.

Our travels will be by plane, train, bus, boat, and foot — whatever best
enhances our experience. Emphasis will be on the land, its history, its
wildlife. Interpretation combined with direct observation will provide an
enjoyment and quality of experience unavailable to the casual visitor.
Whatever your interest in natural history — marine mammals, birding,
mountains, photography, flowers, forests, glaciers, rivers — this tour will
show you Alaska in all its diversity and splendor.

Dr. David Willard, manager of Field Museum's bird and mammal col-
lections, will be tour leader. He received his Ph.D. in Biology at Princeton
University, where he was acting curator of Princeton Museum of Orni-
thology. He has been on a number of research expeditions for Field
Museum. His experience in bird and animal identification and his experi-
ence as a tour leader will enrich this expedition for you. He invites you to
share in the beauty of Alaska this summer.

July 2. Fly Chicago to Sitka; welcome dinner; overnight Sitka Sheffield
Hotel.

July 3. Breakfast at hotel; morning city tour with stop at Raptor Center;
lunch; late afternoon marine wildlife trip on private yacht Taku Queen;
weather permitting, cruise to St. Lazaria National Wildlife Refuge; dinner
on board; overnight Sitka Sheffield Hotel.

July 4. Breakfast at hotel; morning flight to Juneau; Mendenhall River
Float Trip with lunch along the river; tour Mendenhall Wetlands; late
afternoon options available: flightseeing, helicopter onto Mendenhall
Glacier or a guided hike; evening outdoor salmon bake; overnight Shef-
field Hotel Juneau.

July 5. Breakfast at hotel; morning flight to Glacier Bay; Glacier Bay
cruise aboard the MV Glacier Bay Explorer; overnight on board the
Explorer; lunch and dinner on board Explorer.

July 6. Cruising Glacier Bay in morning; return to Glacier Bay Lodge for
lunch; afternoon flight to Juneau and on to Fairbanks. Dinner and over-
night at Fairbanks Inn.

July 7. Breakfast at hotel; Alaska Railroad to Denali National Park;
lunch at the Park entrance; afternoon free to see park service exhibits,
slide shows and films; salmon bake dinner; overnight McKinley Chalets.
July 8. Early morning breakfast at the chalets; 6 a.m. departure by pri-
vate bus through Denali National Park for wildlife viewing; arrive
Kantishna Roadhouse and Bushcamp for lunch; tour of Kantishna by
local homesteaders; wildlife tour exiting the park;return to chalets in
early evening for dinner and overnight.

July 9. Breakfast and lunch at the chalets; chance to sleep in after long
prior day; afternoon Alaska Railroad to Anchorage; dinner and overnight
Sheraton Hotel.

July 10. Breakfast at hotel; late morning departure for Potters Marsh
birding and on to Portage Glacier; Portage River Float Trip; lunch at the
Portage Glacier Lodge; return to Achorage for overnight at the Sheraton.
July 11. Breakfast and lunch on own; morning free for optional activi-
ties, shopping, visit to the museum, etc.; afternoon Eagle River Float Trip
with dinner and fireworks along the river; overnight Sheraton.
July 12. Breakfast at the hotel; fly Anchorage to St. George Island, with
lunch en route; dinner and overnight at St.-George Hotel.
July 13, 14. At St. George rookeries; breakfast and dinner at the hotel;
lunch in the field. An evening gathering in the home of one of the Aleut
community leaders.

July 15. Breakfast at St. George Hotel; fly St. George to Anchorage,
arriving late afternoon; final group dinner and slide show; overnight
Sheraton Hotel.
July 16. Breakfast at hotel; fly Anchorage to Chicago.

For further information or to be placed on our mailing list, call or write Dorothy
Roder, Tours Manager. Field Museum, Roosevelt Rd. at Lake Shore Dr. , Chica- 27
go, IL 60605. Phone: 322-8862.

FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY BULLETIN

June 1986

Field Museum
of Natural History
Bulletin

Published by

Field Museum of Natural History

Founded 1893

President: Willard L. Boyd

Editor/ Designer: David M. Walsten
Production Liaison: Pamela Stearns
Staff Photographer: Ron Testa

Board of Trustees

Richard M. Jones,

Chairman
Mrs. T. Stanton Armour
George R. Baker
Robert O. Bass
Gordon Bent
Mrs. Philip D. Block in
Willard L. Boyd
Robert D. Cadieux
Henry T. Chandler
Worley H. Clark
Frank W. Considine
Stanton R. Cook
William R. Dickinson, Jr.
Thomas E. Donnelley II
Thomas J. Eyerman
Marshall Field
Ronald J. Gidwitz
Clarence E. Johnson
Richard M. Jones
John James Kinsella
Hugo J. Melvoin
Leo F. Mullin
Earl L. Neal
James J. O'Connor
Robert A. Pritzker
James H. Ransom
John S. Runnells
Patrick G. Ryan
William L. Searle
Robert H. Strotz
Mrs. Theodore D. Tieken
E. Leland Webber
Blaine J. Yarrington

CONTENTS

June 1986

Volume 57, Number 6

June Events at Field Museum

Volunteers Do Make a Difference

by Ellen Zebrun, Volunteer Coordinator

Field Briefs

Audubon's "The Birds of America"
and the Remarkable History of
Field Museum's Copy

by Benjamin W. Williams, Associate Librarian and
Librarian, Special Collections

A Collector's Tale

by Alan Solem, Curator of Invertebrates

22

Field Museum Tours

26

COVER

John James Audubon 's "Hooping Crane, " plate CCLXI,
from The Birds of America. Audubon mistakenly regarded
this bird, now known as the sandhill crane, as the young of
the whooping crane, with a distinctive youthful plumage.
See pages 7-21.

Life Trustees

Harry O. Bercher
Bowen Blair
Mrs. Edwin J. DeCosta
Clifford C. Gregg
William V. Kahler
William H. Mitchell
Edward Byron Smith
John W. Sullivan
J. Howard Wood

Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin (USPS 898-940) is published monthly, except combined July/August issue, by Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive,
Chicago, IL 60605-2496. © 1986 Field Museum of Natural History. Subscriptions: $6.00 annually. $3.00 for schools. Museum membership includes Bulletin subscription. Opinions expressed by
authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the pobcy of Field Museum. UnsoUcited manuscripts are welcome. Museum phone: (312) 922-9410. Notification of address change should
include address label and be sent to Membership Department. Postmaster: Please send form 3579 to Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496.
ISSN: 0015-0703. Second class postage paid at Chicago, Illinois.

T

Events

Family Feature

Beetles to Butterflies: A Closer Look

Saturday and Sunday, June 21 and 22
l:00-3:00pm

Beetles that look like solid gold and butterflies
that look like leaves! Some insects are among the
most beautiful creatures in the animal kingdom.
Using microscopes and hand lenses, take a closer
look at the insect world. See the scales of a butter-
fly wing and the pinchers of a predatory beetle.
Find out how the Insects Division at Field
Museum identifies specimens and stores their
collection. Pin and label ajapanese beetle to start
your own collection.

Monthly Family Features are free with Museum
admission and no tickets are required.

June Weekend Programs

Each Saturday and Sunday you are invited to explore the world of natural history at Field Museum. Free
tours, demonstrations, and films related to ongoing exhibits at the Museum are designed for families and adults.
Listed below are only a few of the numerous activities each weekend. Check the Weekend Passport upon arrival
for the complete schedule and program locations. These programs are partially supported by a grant from the
Illinois Arts Council.

June

7 12:00 noon. Treasures from the Totem Forest
(tour). A walk through Museum exhibits intro-
duces the Indians of southeast Alaska and British
Columbia, their totem poles and masks.

8 12:30pm. Traditional China (tour). Examine
the imagery, history, and lifestyles represented by
Chinese jades and other masterworks.

14 12:30pm. Museum Safari (tour). Seek out big
game from Africa and mummies from ancient
Egypt as you travel through Field Museum
exhibits.

15 12:00 noon. Chinese Ceramic Traditions (tour).
Explore 6,000 years of Chinese ceramic art.

21 11:30am. Ancient Egypt (tour). Explore the
traditions of ancient Egypt from everyday life to
myths and mummies.

22 12:00 noon. A Walk with China's Animals
(tour). Meet Su Lin, the panda, and other real
and imaginary beasts through Chinese art
masterworks.

28 12:30pm. Museum Safari (tour). Seek out big
game from Africa and mummies from ancient
Egypt as you travel through Field Museum
exhibits.

29 12:00 noon. Traditional China — The Jades
(tour). Examine the imagery, history, and
lifestyles represented by Chinese jades and
other masterworks.

These programs are free with Museum admission
and no tickets are required.

Volunteers Do Make a Difference

by Ellen Zebrun
Volunteer Coordinator

T

JL Hi:

HE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM at Field Museum has some-
thing to offer everyone because of the wide range of opportu-
nities to serve. The most visible volunteers are those in the
Education Department, who help visitors gain greater knowl-
edge and enjoyment from their Museum visits. The Education
volunteers share information with school groups as well as the
general public through activities such as guided tours, films,
puppet shows, and by staffing the Pawnee Earth Lodge and the
Place for Wonder.

There are diverse opportunities for volunteers interested
in working "behind the scenes." In the scientific areas, some
are involved in researching or cataloging collection acquisi-
tions, while others work in the preparation labs or in collec-
tion maintenance. The administrative departments also have
many volunteers who perform a variety of tasks, including
clerical support, editing, research, and even plant care.

Because of the program's scope, the Museum attracts
volunteers with a wide range of skills, experience, and educa-
tion. Some are now or have been college professors or corpora-
tion executives; for others this is a first work experience. Some
have doctorates, others never finished high school. Some
contribute their expertise in highly specialized areas, while
others have no such refined skills or have come to learn some-
thing different from their previous training. We have young
volunteers hoping to add to their resumes as well as those who
have retired and are looking to explore outside interests now
that they have the time. Most come from Chicago and its
suburbs, but some travel from downstate Illinois, from Indi-
ana, and even as far away as southern Wisconsin.

On February 13, Field Museum honored its 1985 volun-
teers with a special reception in Stanley Field Hall. Willard L.
Boyd, president, spoke of the importance of the volunteers to
the ongoing success of the Museum and how much their ser-
vices in the preceding year were appreciated. Irene Spensley
and China Oughton were the special honorees that night,
each having given 15 years of continuous service.

Mrs. Spensley, an Education volunteer, has given school
group tours, developed teaching aids, and has also been
actively involved with the Science in Action program and the
Summer/Winter Fun Workshops. Mrs. Oughton has been a
volunteer in Geology, first working under the late Eugene S.
Richardson, curator of fossil invertebrates, and in the past
three years with both William D. Turnbull, curator of fossil
mammals, and Dorothy L. Eatough, technical assistant in
mineralogy/petrology. She has helped with cataloging Mazon
Creek fossils, organizing files and the reprint library, and was
also involved in many aspects of the recent renovation of the
Gem Hall. Dr. Boyd presented these two exceptional volun-
teers with an honorary award, and also recognized the five
volunteers who had given 500 hours or more in 1985.

In 1985, Field Museum volunteers contributed a total of
36,454 hours of service. This is the equivalent of 20.8 full-
time paid staff members. Impressive though this figure is, more
telling about the program is the length of time the volunteers
stay with us. Over 76 percent of the current volunteers have
been with Field Museum for more than one year, 54 percent
have been here more than three years, and 38 percent have
volunteered 5 or more years. Those who have been here for 10
years or more comprise 14 percent of the volunteer force.

Volunteers Who Served 500 Hours or More

Sophie Ann Brunner, Reptiles: prepared skeletons for study and
research projects and to extend the division's skeletal collections.

Margaret Martling, Botany: worked with reprint collections and
helped process plant collections from Latin America.

David Matusik, Insects: identification and preparation of butterflies
and moths for study.

William Roder, Tours: helped with mailings and updating computer
listings; has also been Santa Claus at the Women's Board tea the
past three years.

Llois Stein, Anthropology: recataloged the 1893 Sudanese Game-
Ian Orchestra from the World's Columbian Exposition; researched
and cataloged collections from Malaysia, Indonesia, Polynesia,
Micronesia, Melanesia, and Africa.

400 Hours or More

Ingrid Fauci, Reptiles: translated French to English for staff; assisted
in collection maintenance and the Reptile Library.

Lillian Kreitman, Membership: Membership representative; dis-
tributed guides to and answered questions from visitors.

Carolyn Moore, Anthropology: researched in Asian collections.

Forman Onderdonk, Education: conducted tours in the animal and
Indian halls, Pawnee Earth Lodge and Place for Wonder; assisted
with special events; organized files on Matitime Peoples exhibit
renovation.

300 Hours or More

Jackie Arnold, Education: weekend clerical assistance; helped staff
Place fot Wonder; assisted with special events, children's workshops
and shadow puppets.

Larry Berman, Fishes: gathered data regarding genetic vs. evolu-
tionary effects on fish characteristics.

Sol Century, Anthropology: cataloging and accessioning artifacts;
general projects in Asian Division.

Jeannette DeLaney, Anthropology: Peruvian textile conservation;
preparation, analysis and condition reports.

Petet Gayford, Anthropology: cataloged and researched Chinese
rubbings from various collections.

Bea Goo, Zoology: helped with clerical work, specimen prepara-
tion, and cataloging in both Birds and Fishes divisions.

Joseph Levin, Geology: cataloged specimens for Vertebrate
Paleontology collection.

Lucy Lyon, Invertebrates: assisted in cataloging and labeling spec-
imens; organized journals.

Dorothy Oliver, Library: filed new book cards; retrieved books for
visitors; assisted in Reading Room.

1985 Volunteers
ANTHROPOLOGY

Dodie Baumgarten
Linda Bedard
Jennifer Blitz
Cynthia Borowy
Charles Braner
James E. Burd
Louva Calhoun
Sol Century
Trace Clark-Petravick
Connie Crane
Jeannette DeLaney
Patricia Dodson
Andrea Dow
Nancy Fagin
Peter Gayford
Ann Gerber
Melanie Goldstine
Robert Gowland
Dorothy Haber
Mitchell Klein
Valerie Lewis
Victor Lieberman
Withrow Meeker
Lauren Michals
Dan Monteith
Carolyn Moore
George Morse
Louise Neuert
Ernest Newton
Herta Newton
Susan Parker
Dorothea Phipps-Cruz
Philip Pinsof
Lolita Rogers
Beth Scheckman
Robert Stears
Matthew Stec
Llois Stein
Cathy Tlapa
Robbie Webber
David Weiss
Dorothy Zazworsky

BOTANY

Elisabeth Farwell
Marty Germann
Greg Guliuzza
Nancy Harlan
Michael Hengehold
Margaret Martling
Nancy Pliml
Naomi Pruchnik
Elizabeth Rada
Carol Schneider
Rosemarie Seitz
Martha Singer
Daniel Snydacker
Betty Strack

Gary Ossewarde, Education: researched and conducted weekend
tours in Egypt, China, and Maritime Peoples halls; assisted on
special events and workshops.

Carol S. Schneider, Botany: scientific illustration of plants, particu-
larly of Euphorbia.

Nicholas Selch, Public Relations: maintained clip files; organized
press packets.

David Weiss, Anthropology: administrative assistant in Asian
Division.

Kent Taylor
Lisa Thorns
Lillian Vanek
Sarah Wilkinson

BUILDING
OPERATIONS

Helen Ruch
BULLETIN

Hermann Bowersox
Marcella Owens

DEVELOPMENT

Suzanne Borland
Ann Gerber
Connie Koch
Lou Levine
Neil Mann
Marcella Owens

EDUCATION

Paul Adler
Karen Alcock
Delores Arbanas
Jacqueline Arnold
Terry Asher
Margaret Axelrod
Beverly Baker
Jean Baldwin-Herbert
Lucia Barba
Dorothy Bark
Gwen Barnett
Winifred Batson
Elaine Bernstein
Carol Briscoe
Carolyn Brna
Fame Brooks
Karen Bryze
Brenda Buckley-Kuhn
Teddy Buddington
Nancy Burke
John Burnett
Joseph Cablk
Kathy Cagney
Linda Celesia
Marilee Cole
Jamelyn Cotton
Eleanor DeKoven
Violet Diacou
Marianne Diekman
Millicent Drower
John Dunn
Ruth Egebrecht
Anne Ekman
Agatha Elmes
Bonnie Engel
Martha Farwell
Gerda Frank

Richard Frank
Shirley Fuller
Miriam Futransky
Merwyn S. Garbarino
Bernice Gardner
Patricia Georgouses
Phyllis Ginardi
Delores Glasbrenner
Halina Goldsmith
Miriam Goldsmith
Helen Gornstein
Evelyn Gottlieb
Ann Grimes
Karen Grupp
Sylvia Haag
April Hagan
Kenneth Hahn
Michael Hall
Meg Halsey
Judith Hannah
Patricia Hansen
La Verne Hargett
Curtis Harrell
Mattie Harris
Shirley Hattis
Audrey Hiller
Clarissa Hinton
Zelda Honor
Scott Houtteman
Connie Jacobs
Malcolm Jones
Carol Kacin
Elizabeth Kaplan
Michelle Kaput
Mansura Karim
Barbara Keune
Dennis Kinzig
Alida Klaud
Glenda Kowalski
John Kuntz
Rosemarie La Pidus
Anita Landess
Carol Landow
Carita Lee
Shun Lee
Ruth Lew
Sandra Lewis
James Lowers
Mary Jo Lucas-Healy
Gabby Margo
Clifford Massoth
Britta Mather
Joyce Matuszewich
Marita Maxey
Melba Mayo
Faye McCray
Louise McEachran
Carole McMahon
Beverly Meyer
Barbara Milott

Dan Monteith
Charlita Nachtrab
Mary Naunton
John Ben Nelson
Lisa Nelson
Mary Nelson
Natalie Newberger
Dennis O'Donnell
Randolph Olive
Forman Onderdonk
Joan Opila
Marianne

O'Shaughnessy
Gary Ossewarde
Anita Padnos
Frank Paulo
Mary Anne Peruchini
Jacquelyn Prine
Pamela Rahmann
Ann Ratajczyk
Marie Rathslag
Ernest Reed
Henry Rich
Lucille Rich
Elly Ripp

Rhonda Rochambeau
Barbara Roob
Beverly Rosen
Sarah Rosenbloom
Anne Ross
Lenore Ruehr
Janet Russell
Gladys Ruzich
Vicki Sadow
Linda Sanchez
Pamela Sandacz
Sarah Sandberg
Marian Saska
Everett Schellpfeffer
Kurt Schenk
Marianne Schenker
Esther Schwartz
Florence Seiko
Jessie Sherrod
Judith Sherry
Linda Skorodin
Irene Spensley
Scot Star

Mary Alice Sutton
Ruby Suzuki
Jane Thain
Jean Theroux
Janet Ujvari
Karen Urnezis
Barbara Vear
Roseann Veith
Charles Vischulis
Jean Vischulis
Amanda Von Drak
Harold Waterman

James Wilber
Claire Wilkinson
Char Wiss
Barbara Wunder
Zinette Yacker
Ben Zajac

EXHIBITION

Joan Adamczyk
Audrey Burns
Sue Walker- Waber
Laurie Zicary

FIELDIANA

Donald Gemmel

GEOLOGY

Joan Biba
Michael Bouska
Irene Broede
Jeff Carman
Sasha Carney
Mathew Cotton
Marie Cuevas
Linda Egebrecht
Marie Fischl
Melanie Goldstine
Frank Greene Jr.
Cecily Gregory
Clarissa Hinton
Doy Howland
Ellen Hyndman
Laurel Johnson
Susan Kennedy
Joyce Kieffer
Patricia Klick
Susan Knoll
Brian Lachell
Teresa Lemon
Joseph Levin
Andrew Moyad
Doris Nitecki
China Oughton
Marcella Owens
Susan Roop
Ann Rubeck
Thelma Schwartz
Joan Skager
Patricia Thomas
Gerda Watson

LIBRARY

Michael Chaneske
Arden Frederick
Claxton Howard
Ruth Howard
Mabel S. Johnson
Dorothy Oliver
Marie Louise Rosenthal
James Skorcz

MEMBERSHIP

Dennis Bara
Lillian Kreitman
Irma Wetherton
Anne Wicker

PHOTOGRAPHY

Anne Wicker
Reeva Wolfson

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Lisa Camillo
Madeline Fitzgerald
Marianne Herrmann
Harold Honor
Connie Koch
Frank Leslie
Earl Robinson
Nicholas Selch

PUBLICATIONS

Loretta Green

TOURS

William Roder

ZOOLOGY

Neal Abarbanell

Lawrence Berman

Sophie Anne Brunner

Barbara Clauson

Stanley Dvorak

Milada Dybas

Ingrid Fauci

Joseph Fisher

Andrea Gaski

Elizabeth L. Girardi

Bea Goo

Henry Greenwald

Greg Guliuzza

Dorothy Karall

Julian Kerbis

Jonathan Lakritz

Lucy Lyon

Jeanne Martineau

Selwyn Mather

David Matusik

Larry Misialek

Lorain Olsen

Charles Plasil

Sheila Reynolds

Diana Rudaitis

Kurt Schenk

Sheila Seyboldt

Paul Thomas

David Walker 5

Maxine Walter

Harold Waterman

Mary Wenzel

Field Briefs

Priscilla F. Turnbull
1924-1985

Priscilla Turnbull, a research associate in
Geology and former Field Museum staff
member, died Dec. 6, 1985. A life-long
resident of Chicago or of its suburb Park
Forest, she obtained her bachelor's and
master's degrees in geology and paleon-
tology at the University of Chicago. She
served as a scientific assistant from 1946 to
1954 and was a Field Museum research
associate in Geology from 1974 to 1985.

In 1946 at the Museum she met Wil-
liam D. Turnbull, now curator of fossil
mammals, and they were married in 1948.
For most of their married life they did
fieldwork together in the Cenozoic of
Wyoming and Australia, although Priscil-
la's first publication (1955, co-authored
with her husband), was on the anatomy
of Phlegethontia, an amphibian from the
Pennsylvanian of Illinois.

Priscilla also collected with Rainer
Zangerl (now curator emeritus of Geol-
ogy) in the Mesozoic of Wyoming (1948)
and with the late Robert Denison, former
curator of fossil fishes, in the Devonian
of Utah and Montana (1949-1950), and
she was the faunal analyst on a 1974 Ameri-
can Museum of Natural History expedi-
tion which excavated a Bronze Age site
in Pakistan. Her field experiences, thus,
were widely varied as to time and area.

Beginning in 1961, Priscilla special-
ized in the study of the nonhuman bones
excavated from prehistoric archaeological
sites in the late Quaternary of Mauritania,
Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, and Pakistan,
and all of her publications thereafter (ten
published, two in press, and one finished
and two unfinished manuscripts) are re-
lated to those studies. She had the unusual
distinction of having published articles in
three of the Field Museum's four scientific
series (Anthropology, Geology, and Zool-
ogy) as well as in the Bulletin. Most of
Priscilla's studies were on collections
shipped to her; the only site at which she
6 herself excavated the faunal remains was

that of Allahdino, Pakistan. However,
during those years of work on osteo-
archaeological collections, she was also
rearing a son, participating in her hus-
band's fieldwork in Australia and Wyo-
ming, and was active in civic work in Park
Forest, where the Turnbulls lived for most
of their married life.

Priscilla was a meticulous worker, as
I know from having shared laboratory
research with her; she never recorded an
identification of a broken piece of bone
until she was absolutely certain of its va-
lidity. She was a small lady, perky, in-
dustrious, and thoughtful. She is sorely
missed by all who knew her. — Charles A.
Reed, Research Associate, Department of
Zoology

Richard M. Jones New Board Chairman

Richard M. Jones, president and chief
financial officer of Sears Roebuck and
Company, has been elected chairman of
Field Museum's Board of Trustees for a
two-year term. He succeeds James J.
O'Connor, who had served as Board chair-
man since January 1982. Jones joined the
Board of Trustees in 1981. In addition to
his new position on the Board, he is serv-
ing as chairman of the Museum's Capital
Campaign.

The recent Board elections installed
the following officers also: Robert A.
Pritzker, president and chairman of the
Marmon Group, was elected chairman of
the Board's Collections and Research
Committee; Marshall Field, chairman of
the board for the Field Corporation, be-
came chairman of the Public Programs
Committee; Blaine J. Yarrington, former
executive vice president (retired) of Stan-
dard Oil of Indiana, was elected chairman
of the Finance and Museum Services
Committee.

Newly elected trustees include Mrs.
Phillip D. Block III; Robert D. Cadieux,
president and director of Amoco Chemi-
cals Corporation; Worley H. Clark, Jr.,

president and chief executive officer of
Nalco Chemical Company; Thomas J.
Eyerman, partner, Skidmore, Owings &
Merrill; Ronald J. Gidwitz, president,
Helene Curtis Industries; Clarence E.
Johnson, president of Borg-Warner Cor-
poration; and John J. Kinsella, chairman,
Leo Burnett-USA.

New Women's Board Officers

The new president of Field Museum's
Women's Board is Muriel (Mrs. Malcolm
N.) Smith, elected at the Board's annual
meeting, May 13. Mrs. Smith succeeds
Mrs. Philip D. Block III, elected in 1984,
and becomes ex officio member of the
Board of Trustees. Other new officers
elected at the May meeting were three
vice presidents: Mrs. Michael N. Bilan-
dic, Mrs. Edward Hines, and Mrs. Edward
Byron Smith, Jr.

Mrs. John W. Taylor III was elect-
ed recording secretary, Mrs. Frank W.
Blatchford III was elected corresponding
secretary, and Mrs. Walter L. Cherry was
elected treasurer. Also elected were three
members-at-large: Mrs. Robert Lane
Cruikshank, Mrs. Gerald S. Gidwitz, and
Mrs. David W. Grainger.

The Board's new president, a member
of that body since 1976, was also recently
honored by the National Society of Fund
Raising Executives. That group, consist-
ing of professional fund raisers in the U.S.
and Canada, named Mrs. Smith "Out-
standing Volunteer Fund-Raiser of the
Year" for 1986. Well known for her in-
volvement in Chicago community proj-
ects since 1957, Mrs. Smith is also chair-
man of the board of trustees of the Erikson
Institute; president of the Taylor Institute;
heads the Development Committee of
Michael Reese Hospital and Medical
Center; and is trustee of numerous social
welfare, educational and arts organiza-
tions. She plays an active role in the
United Way, recruiting board members
from the Chicago corporate community.

Audubon's

»<•!

The Birds of America

and the remarkable htelory of field museums copy

by Benjamin W. Williams

Associate Librarian and Librarian, Special Collections

Engraving of Audubon. From The Life of John James
Audubon, the Naturalist. 1894.

John James Audubon's The Birds of America
(published in London, 1827-1838) is the most
famous and most magnificent of all the great
hand-colored bird books. Field Museum
Library received its copy* of the Audubon folio in 1969
as the gift of Mary W. Runnells, and since 1970 on a
rotating basis, one of the four volumes of the set is always
on public display in the Museum's North Lounge. Since
1981, the volumes not on display have been housed in
the Library's Mary W. Runnells Rare Book Room,
construction of which was made possible by Trustee and
Mrs. John S. Runnells, whose continued support of the
Rare Book Room has further enhanced the significant
collections housed there.

The Library's set is one of the finest copies of
The Birds of America in existence, with the binding and
paper in an excellent state of preservation and the
plates colored with a care and richness that few other
copies can match. Certain other characteristics of Field
Museum's copy make it even more exceptional and link

"The terms "copy," "set," and "folio" are used interchangeably
to mean a complete, usually bound, example of The Birds of
America, including at least the normal 435 plates.

it directly with Audubon's own copy of The Birds of
America, which is held by the H.J. Lutcher Stark Foun-
dation in Orange, Texas: both of these sets have the
plates bound up in order by species rather than in the
normal plate number order, and both contain 13 extra
plates not present in other copies. The species order of
the plates in both these copies is based on the systematic
grouping of birds Audubon adopted in A Synopsis of the
Birds of North America (Edinburgh, 1839), written and
published after completion of The Birds of America. The
13 extra plates were specially prepared in 1838 for
inclusion in this systematic arrangement and both copies
were subsequently bound up in 1839. These distinctive
characteristics shared by the two sets are part of an
untold story of one of the most interesting chapters in
the history of Audubon's production of The Birds of
America.

Unfortunately this story has been obscured by an
erroneous history of Field Museum's copy of
the folio that gained wide currency after
publication of Waldemar Fries's The Double
Elephant Folio. ' Fries believed he had traced the set to the
original ownership of Euphemia Gifford, cousin of Au-
dubon's wife, Lucy. The physical evidence from the Field
Museum copy, however, directly contradicts this notion
and the documentary evidence on which it is based.

The Double Elephant Folio presents the results of
Fries's many years of travel and research in an attempt to
find and examine every extant copy of The Birds of ^ Amer-
ica. His study is indeed a useful compilation of informa-
tion on the location and condition of some 135 surviving
copies of the folio and Fries merits the respect he has
received for this pioneering fieldwork. But many of
Fries's attempts to trace the history of particular copies of
The Birds of America need to be carefully reexamined.
His conclusions about Field Museum's copy in particular
provide a clear case of the errors that result whenever
studies of provenance wander too far from the physical
bibliographic evidence at hand.

The point of departure in this study of Field
Museum's copy of the Audubon folio was the evident
contradiction between bibliographic fact and the con-
clusions presented by Fries. The pursuit of a correct
explanation for the evidence led back through the trail
of documentary evidence cited by Fries to the discovery
that Audubon's and Field Museum's sets are two of three
special copies of The Birds of America that were prepared
8 under Audubon's directions for himself, his American

friend Edward Harris, and his British friend Dr. Ben
jamin Phillips. The Harris copy seems no longer trace
able, but all the evidence suggests that it is the Phillip
copy that now resides at Field Museum. Retracing th<
route that led to this conclusion will involve first dispos
ing of the erroneous "Gifford provenance" and ther
relating the story of the thirteen extra plates and th<
origin of these two distinctive copies of The Birds o
America.

Although there are a great many well-informed Au
dubon collectors and enthusiasts, and public awarenes
of Audubon's work is widespread, a description of th
manner in which most copies of The Birds of Americ
were produced and distributed will, nonetheless, pre
vide a useful background for the discussion of th
Museum's special copy.

Audubon's plan for The Birds of America was im
pressive in scope: to depict all the birds of America i:
life-size images on 400 hand-colored, copperplate er
gravings to be offered to purchasers on a subscriptio:
basis. Each subscriber was to receive the prints in parts
or "numbers," of five plates each. On each print the pai
and plate numbers appear at the top: "No 1" is engrave
at the upper left corner of the first five prints, and th
consecutive plate numbers are engraved at the uppe
right, from "plate i" to "plate v" (Roman numerals wer
used for plate numbers, Arabic for part numbers) . Sub
scribers were to receive 80 of these numbers and alon
with every twentieth number would come an engrave
title page to be used in binding the plates into foL
volumes of 100 plates each. As the work was drawin
toward its conclusion in 1838, however, so many ne^
birds were being discovered that Audubon was forced t
go well beyond the planned 400 plates. Ultimately, sut
scribers received a total of 87 numbers, or 435 plates.

The five plates included in each of the numbei
were carefully selected to present an appealing variety c
images to subscribers as they received each new instal
ment. The principal distinction in appearance amon
the plates is related to the size of the birds depicted. Th
illustrations of the larger birds fill all or most of the sheei
while those of the smaller birds often have wide margir
around a small pictorial area. By including plates c
large, small, and medium-sized birds in each numbe
Audubon secured a broader appeal for his plates as h
canvassed for new subscribers. This was a shrewd mat
keting strategy, but resulted in a random order of th
birds in the final bound volumes.

The original paintings that are reproduced in Th
Birds of America were often the result of a collaborativ
effort. Audubon himself painted the vast majority of th

XT1

1'I.ATK rrri.iv

tT\*acika m-1-wn'u.v. .»/.'■

/ir//7r/*: >/rf//a//i /

TA.XA11KA RrBRA./

Composite Plate CCCLJV (354) . The figure at left center, a female Louisiana tanager, has been added from plate CCCC (400) .

The "ottoman" in which Field Museum's copy of The Birds of America was stored. Inside are four drawers designed to completely encase
and protect the four volumes of the set. sww

10

bird figures that appear in his plates, but a few were
painted by his son John and by some of the artists who
assisted him. Many of the habitat backgrounds, land-
scapes, and plants were painted by these assistants,
either directly on Audubon's paintings of the birds or
sometimes separately. Backgrounds painted separately in
this manner were supplied along with the bird paintings
to the engraver, who combined them in accordance with
Audubon's instructions to produce the finished print-
ed plate. The copperplates were executed primarily
through a combination of etching and aquatint.

Audubon found the search for an engraver difficult
at first. In 1826, having failed to find one in America,
Audubon engaged the services of the Scottish engraver
Lizars, in Edinburgh. Lizars engraved and colored the
first two numbers, or ten plates, of The Birds of America
but Audubon was not satisfied with Lizars' work. By the
following year, and to his great good fortune, Audubon
had arranged for the engraving and coloring of his plates
by the London firm of Robert Havell. Robert Havell, Jr.
lived up to Audubon's vision in his translation of the

artist's original paintings into the hand-colored engrav-
ings so familiar today.

The paper used, both for Audubon's original paint-
ings and for the prints produced by Havell, was made by
the British firm of J. Whatman. Since he had set himself
the goal of depicting birds life-size, Audubon found that
he required one of the largest sheet sizes of paper then
manufactured, measuring 29 Vi by 39 '/i inches un-
trimmed, a size called double elephant folio. The water-
mark in Whatman paper is extremely important in the
study of The Birds of America since it bears the year in
which each sheet of paper was made. Paper from at least
two of Whatman's paper mills was used for Audubon's
prints. The watermark on each sheet appears parallel to
the longer dimension of the paper and toward the corner
of the sheet. For example, many copies of the first few
prints produced by Havell bear the watermark:

J WHATMAN
1827

or:

J WHATMAN
TURKEY MILL
1827
These watermarks, in conjunction with the dates of

engraving of the copperplates (known from Audubon's
and Havell's records, but also engraved on most of the
plates), are extremely useful in determining the history
of some copies of the folio.

The complete sets of those who subscribed to the
work at or near the beginning of publication contain
prints with watermarks that closely parallel the dates of
engraving of the copperplates. In such sets, prints from
copperplates engraved, for example, in 1830, will gener-
ally have watermarks dated 1830. The costs of producing
a work such as The Birds of America were great, and
Audubon and Havell could not afford to produce more
copies of the prints than were needed to supply the sub-
scribers on their list at any given time. From time to
time, however, throughout the twelve years of publica-
tion, Audubon and his friends and supporters found new
subscribers to the work. For these later subscribers a set
of those prints that had already been published was
newly printed off and colored. The copy of The Birds of
America originally belonging to an owner who began his
subscription in 1834, for example, after most of the first
200 prints had been issued, would be characterized by
watermarks of 1834 or later years on most of those first
200 prints.

Many subscribers received their plates loose in the
numbers of five plates as these were issued, and were
responsible for having their own volumes bound. For
some subscribers Audubon had the volumes bound by
the London binder Hering. One such subscriber was
Euphemia Gifford.

rries was originally led to the idea of the Gifford
provenance by a single piece of information:
the "ottoman" in which the Field Museum set
of The Birds of America was housed. This piece
of furniture was specially built to house the four volumes
of the folio. It is a rectangular case containing four draw-
ers for the four volumes of the copy, each of which pulls
out and opens up for viewing the plates. Fries was aware
of a single reference to such a piece of furniture in one of
Audubon's ledgers, indicating that Euphemia Gifford
had received an "ottoman" for her copy of the folio. It
was solely on the basis of this fact that Fries assumed that
the Field Museum copy and the original Gifford sub-
scription copy were the same. Bibliographic evidence
from the Field Museum copy and documentary evidence

The "ottoman" with one of the four drawers pulled out and opened. Each volume was not only protectively housed within its drawer, but
could be viewed in place and with minimal handling, accounting for the excellent state of preservation of the set. stoo

n.vff rrri.\i\

If, ft h turn . Ni-rK'mf /•*&/ r

'mm if JfrttjA .-.

At left is the normal version of plate
CCCLXIX (396), the mountain
mocking bird and the varied thrush.
Below is one of the late, crowded
plates illustrating severed species,
among them (at lower left) another ex-
ample of the varied thrush. This figure
of the thrush was added to the normal
plate by overprinting it in the lower
right comer of the image, producing
the composite version shown at the
right. Note the manner in which the
branches have been redrawn by hand
on the composite in an attempt to unite
the entire composition.

12

Pl.vrE rcrrjixin

fUli^ti f'r-/' fU/.mr,. fnr/r

&U6.J. Y„„lj.M,~A ■/~.~,.)'u;.x>~/

rrn«r» *****

X" 71.

I'l.ATK (•('C1.X1X

/ a I'/'// i//h/ // ■ Iffr/ntu/ rr /■/■/..!/»/,

OBFIISVS M03TA!rtl». HwmjnU

.; i ' t/ rirtf • '//irti,i/i, iM.if,,
TOKsrs Tuemva, «».

..I J Au-lnl,.... I«) n.f

13

PLATK < ( \X\

14

(Above) The composite version of plate CCXXX (230), the sanderling (or ruddy plover). Added to the norma! version of this plate
(opposite, above) is a figure of a male in spring plumage, taken from plate CCLXXXV (285) (opposite, below). In his comments on plate
230 in his Ornithological Biography (vol. Ill, p. 232) Audubon mentioned the oversight by which this figure of the sanderling was
separated from the two on plate 2 30: "The figure of a fine male, which, being on another sheet of paper, was overlooked. . .you will find in
Plate CCLXXXV. ..." The composition unites these three figures as originally intended. Note the considerable changes to the background,
particularly at the left.

relating to the Gifford copy, however, are completely
contradictory.

There is abundant evidence, some of it quoted by
Fries, that Gifford received each volume of her set bound
up in normal plate number order as it was completed. In
a letter of 29 June 1831 Audubon writes Gifford: "I have
the pleasure to send you the first volume of my work
bound as near according to your own directions as either
Lucy or myself can conceive."2 Volume 1, completed in
1830, contained plates 1-100; plates 1-100 in Field
Museum's copy are located in three different volumes
due to the arrangement by species rather than plate
number. A letter of 27 July 1834 indicates shipment of

Beginning Monday, June 30 each of the 13 compos-
ite plates in Field Museum's copy of The Birds of
America will be displayed for one week in the
North Lounge (third floor), where the Audubon
display case is located. The plate on display will be
changed each Monday morning through the last
full week of September.

15

The great white heron, plate CCLXXX1 (281) , one of Audubon's most dramatic images. The great white is now regarded as a variant form
of the great blue heron. In the background is a view of Key West.

Gifford's volume V (plates 101-200, completed 1834);
and a letter of 26 September 1838 from Victor Audubon,
the artist's son, to the engraver Havell, requests Havell
to expedite delivery to Gifford and other English sub-
scribers receiving bound copies of volume 44 (plates 301-
435, completed June, 1838). The Gifford copy then was
bound up in the normal fashion:

Vol. 1 plates 1-100 1827-1830

Vol. 2 plates 101-200 1831-1834

Vol. 3 plates 201-300 1834-1835

Vol.4 plates 301-435 1836-1838

There is only one way such a copy of the folio could

end up in species order like the Field Museum copy: the

four volumes would have to be taken apart, the plates

rearranged in species order and the whole bound up

anew. Clearly ruling out the possibility that the Field

Museum set is a rebound Gifford copy is the evidence of

the watermarks.

Even if the Field Museum copy were bound up in

normal plate number order it could still be easily distin-

16 guished from the Gifford subscription copy by the fact

that most of its plates were printed and colored much
later than those in the Gifford copy. Gifford's copy of
volume 1, for example, bound up by Audubon and sent
to her in mid-1831, could not possibly contain plates
printed on paper with watermarks dated later than 1831.
Of the same plates in the Field Museum copy (i. e. , plates
1-100) one bears the watermark 1830, one shows 1838,
and 98 plates have the watermark 1833. When Gifford
received her copy of volume 1 in 1831, 99 of the same
plates in the Field Museum copy had not even been
printed. The same is true of the bulk of the plates for
volumes 2 and 3 (plates 101-300). Most copies of the
folio will have similar dates for the final volume of plates
(plates 301-435), since few new subscriptions were
obtained during the final period of publication and
printing proceeded in a fairly regular manner. The fol-
lowing table summarizes the watermark data from the
Field Museum copy. Again, in a copy such as Gifford's
which was subscribed for at an early stage in the publica-
tion of the work, the watermark dates will closely par-
allel the dates of engraving of the copperplates.

Watermark Dates

Date Engraved

Field M

jseum Copy

Watermark

Number of Plates

Dates

with Watermark

Volume 1

1830

1

Plates 1-100

1833

98

1826-1830

1838

1

Volume 2

1834

1

Plates 101-200

1836

63

1831-1834

1837

7

1838

29

Volume 3

1834

1

Plates 201-300

1836

17

1834-1836

1837

2

1838

78

uncertain

2

Volume 4

1836

50

Plates 301-435

1837

60

1836-1838

1838

25

Total Watermarked Plates Each Year:

1830: 1

1836:

130

1833: 98

1837:

69

1834: 2

1838:

133

All but 20 of the first 300 plates in the Field
Museum copy were printed years after the same plates in
the Gifford copy. In addition, the order in which the
prints were pulled and colored is often quite erratic. The
five prints of number 32, for example, show the follow-
ing variation in watermark dates, although the copper-
plates were all engraved in 1833:

Plate Number

Watermark Date

156

1836

157

1834

158

1838

159

1837

160

1838

Watermarks in the Field Museum set also establish
the earliest date at which the set could have been bound
up. The endleaves of all four volumes of the set bear
watermarks of either 1838 or 1839. In all likelihood the
set was bound up in 1839, and perhaps before the Au-
dubons and Havells departed from England for America
in August of that year.

All this bibliographic evidence clearly rules out the
possibility that Field Museum's copy of The Birds of
America is the copy originally owned by Euphemia Gif-
ford. If Gifford's copy is still in existence it, too, may be
incorrectly identified in Fries's study or it may be one of
the many copies whose history Fries was unable to trace.
While one might hope that Fries's erroneous description
of Field Museum's copy is an isolated case in The Double

Elephant Folio, his handling of the evidence relating to
this copy raises doubts about the reliability of his work as
a whole.

Part of Fries's description of the Stark Foundation
(Audubon's) copy could be applied verbatim to Field
Museum's copy:

The 435 prints with an additional 13 . . . have been
arranged systematically (instead of numerically) accord-
ing to Audobon's Synopsis of the Birds of North America.
Thus the first print in Volume 1 is not the Turkey but the
California Turkey-vulture, plate number 426. 5

Fries mentions the presence of the 13 extra plates in the
Field Museum copy but does not describe the copy as
bound in systematic order, something he was well aware
of since he visited the Museum to examine the copy in
1970. A generous interpretation of this omission would
be to regard it as an oversight. Fries was committed to
the "Gifford provenance," solely on the basis of the
"ottoman," and quotes the correspondence (referred to
above) that verifies Gifford's receipt of a regular sub-
scriber's copy. Such a copy could not be bound up in
systematic order, as has been shown.

More troubling is an exceedingly awkward mis-
interpretation of a source document in Fries's
attempt to make Gifford into one of the recip-
ients of the 13 extra plates. He writes:

On 28 August 1838 Victor Audubon wrote the engraver
Havell that he wished "6 copies printed of those plates
which have old or young birds to add on them or
females&c." There is evidence that Miss Gifford
received one of these sets. 1056

In fact, there is no such evidence in the document he
cites. Gifford is not even mentioned in the letter of 28
August 1838, nor does any other source link Gifford to
the extra plates. Perhaps Fries had in mind the following
letter of 26 September 1838, also from Victor Audubon
to Havell, which happens to mention both Gifford and
the extra plates:

We are all quite well, and are pushing the printing here
[of the fifth volume of Audubon's Ornithological Biog-
raphy, published in Edinburgh] as fast as we can — Please
send Mrs. Gifford's, Mr. Young's & all other 4th vols, [of
The Birds of America] for the English delivery as soon as
ready, to their respective destinations. When you write
let us hear how you are getting on with every thing and if
you have yet any idea of when the 15 setts will be ready
[these copies of the folio were to be sold in America].
The additional birds you will please print so as to make
in all 6 setts of these particular plates extra if you find

17

they look well. They are to be extra plates only, so that you
need not use any hut the coppers on which they are, and
we will keep them for ourselves, Mr. Phillips, &. Mr.
Harris.7

The mention of Gifford simply confirms preparation of
her regular subscriber's copy of volume 4- Not only does
this letter not identify Gifford as a recipient of the extra
plates, it states precisely who was to receive them.

It seems that Audubon could hardly have found two
more deserving friends than Harris and Phillips, each in
his own way a companion and supporter of Audubon's
immense undertaking. Each had his own pursuits in nat-
ural history and it is not surprising that these friendships
should have resulted in special copies of The Birds of
America.

Edward Harris of Moorestown, New Jersey, accom-
panied Audubon more than once on his travels in the
American wilderness in search of birds. Harris seems to
have been readily susceptible to Audubon's expansive
enthusiasm, characteristically expressed in a letter of
1833, urging Harris to join him in his travels:

Make up your mind, pack up your effects, shoulder your
flintlock and away to the Fields where Science awaits us
with ample stores the contents of which are the rarest
materials ever employed by Nature."

Harris helped Audubon and his family in many ways and
on many occasions, and was particularly effective in
securing the numerous bird skins Audubon needed for
his studies and illustrations. All this help was proffered
in such an unassuming manner that Audubon was
prompted at one point to counsel Harris: "You are sadly
too modest my worthy friend. Indeed you are so modest
that you have more than once almost vexed me on that
head.'w

Dr. Benjamin Phillips, a physician, zoologist,
and member of the Royal Society, lived near
the Audubons' London residence on Wimpole
Street. Like Harris, his assistance to Audubon
and his family seems to have been continuous and
ungrudging. Frequent references to Phillips in Au-
dubon's correspondence with others make it clear that
the doctor reliably performed many services in forward-
ing Audubon's work in London. Audubon was well
aware of the gratitude he owed to Phillips:

Were I to mention the many occasions on which he has
aided me by his advice and superior knowledge of the
world, you would be pleased to find so much dis-
interestedness in human nature. His professional aid
18 too, valuable as it has proved to us, and productive of

much inconvenience to him, has been rendered without
reward, for I could never succeed in inducing him to
consider us his patients, although for upwards of two
years he never passed a day without seeing my wife. I0

Phillips successfully brought Henry Havell, the engrav-
er's brother, through a serious bout with influenza and
offered sound medical advice to other friends of the
Audubons' circle.

Little correspondence between Audubon and Phil-
lips is available, and no documentary evidence has come
to light, other than that cited here, directly describing
Phillips's copy of The Birds of America. Phillips's own
accounts and views would be a welcome addition to the
story of the special copies of the folio Audubon and his
two friends prepared for themselves. We should proceed
by examining their plan of arranging Audubon's plates in
systematic order, from which arose the idea for the 13
extra plates.

Since binding the plates in number order results in
an unsystematic arrangement of the birds, it was clear
from the start that a species index to the entire work
would make it far more useful to naturalists. As Audu-
bon's ornithological knowledge increased he began to
plan a complete systematic list of American birds that
would serve as such an index. As publication of The Birds
of America was drawing to a close in 1838, Audubon
turned his attention to the list and, with the aid of the
Scottish naturalist William MacGillivray, it was finally
published in June 1839 as the Synopsis of the Birds of
North America, in one small octavo volume. By binding
up their plates in Synopsis order, Audubon and his two
friends gave themselves the significant advantage of par-
allel text and plates; they could leaf simultaneously
through the two works without having to jump from one
to another of the mammoth volumes of The Birds of
America.

The story of Edward Harris's copy of The Birds of
America is readily available in Audubon's correspon-
dence, yet not a word of it appears in Fries's study. In
numerous letters written to Harris between June 1834
and June 1836, Audubon kept Harris informed of the
preparation of his copy of the folio, described its binding
(done by Hering) as half leather with two locks, and
specifically mentioned the shipment of Harris's copies of
volumes 2 and 3." Then on 18 August 1837 he wrote
Harris:

I will await your order with anxiety as regards your new
entire Copy, wishing to know from you whether or not
Mr. Berthoud [a relation by marriage who acted as one of
Audubon's business agents in America] has disposed of
the 3 Vols, you have with locks to a gentleman of Lond.

1'i-vri- ccxbl

The Louisiana heron, plate CCXVll (217). Although the background {by George Lehman, one of Audubon's assistants) may be
somewhat fanciful as a representation of the Florida Keys, the engraving and coloring of the bird show the engraver Havell at his best.

England — At all events we have a fine sett of all that is
published for you u

On 18 November there followed the note to Harris: "I
will leave your Copy of my Work unbound until you
come....""

It was evidently at some time between the shipment
of Harris's volume 3 in June 1836 and the letter concern-
ing his "new entire Copy" in August 1837, that Au-
dubon, Harris, and Phillips hatched the plan of binding
up their copies of The Birds of America in Synopsis order.
Confirmation of their plan comes from Audubon's letter
to Harris on 7 July 1839:

My Dear Friend,

You will along with this receive a copy of my Synopsis of
our Birds which I hope will please you, and answer your
purpose, not only in the arranging your plates of the

Birds of America, but also in here after detecting what-
ever New species may be discovered in our country; and
which no doubt will amount to a goodly number in a
score of years.14

Available documentary sources offer little detailed
information about Phillips's receipt of the plates for his
copy and no evidence that, like Harris, he first received
bound volumes which were later replaced by a new set of
loose prints. He seemed instead to have received only
loose plates. One of Audubon's business ledgers lists
Phillips's payment for "Vols. 1,2,3 (unbound).'5 There
can be little doubt that Phillips, too, received his copy of
the Synopsis and he, like Harris, probably chose to
arrange his own plates in systematic order. This is all the
more likely since the arrangement of the plates in the
Field Museum copy departs at several points from the

19

arrangement found in the Synopsis: Dr. Phillips appar-
ently had a few ideas of his own about ornithological
systematics.

The extra, or "composite," plates, as Fries appropri-
ately calls them, were a natural outcome of the plan to
bind all the plates of The Birds of America in systematic
order. The composites serve as a corrective for a number
of discrepancies that had accumulated over the 12 years
of publication. Audubon had sought, in depicting all
known species of American birds, to provide illustra-
tions of the male, female, and young of each. For the
larger birds this could not be accomplished in a single
life-size illustration, but for smaller species all three fig-
ures could be easily accommodated on a single plate. In
13 instances, however, one or another of the required
figures had been separated from its companion pieces
and engraved on a different copperplate. Unable some-
times to find all three specimens (of male, female, and
young) in time to meet his self-imposed deadlines, Au-

dubon was forced by the pressures of publication to let
Havell engrave the figures he had available, and add the
other figures to later copperplates whenever he managed
to find and draw them. In a few plates Audubon had
incorrectly identified the figures; and in the case of plate
230 Havell had simply misplaced Audubon's drawing of
one of the figures, and engraved it later on plate 285
when the mistake was noticed.

The purpose of the composites was to reunite these
separated figures on single plates which Audubon, Har-
ris, and Phillips could insert in their systematically
arranged copies, creating what could rightly be called
"ideal" copies of The Birds of America. No reengraving of
the copperplates was done. Each composite was prepared
by printing the necessary portions of two or — for two of
the composites — three copperplates on a single sheet of
paper. Each composite print went through Havell's press
at least twice, the first time to print an entire plate with
appropriate areas left blank, the second (and third) time

20

■ '/"// ■///// f <'f'

'/•////// f >/'///// f/////
lii.M.Aciujrujtvx ruOtUDAtWM.

The Florida cormorant (or double-crested cormorant), plate CCLIJ (252). This southern form of the double'Crested cormorant is no
longer regarded as a species separate from the northern form.

to print in those blank areas the bird figures required
from other copperplates. (See illustrations pages 12-13
and 14' 15.) To complete the print Havell then did any
necessary drawing by hand on each of the prints to bring
portions of background or foliage together into a single
composition. The coloring of the plates helped to
smooth somewhat the rather rough appearance of the
composites. The figures added to the composites are not
identified in the legends since only the legends of the
initial copperplates and not those of the second and
third appear on each of the composites.

Audubon needed only three copies of each of the
composites for himself and his two friends but instructed
Havell to prepare six copies, probably because he was
uncertain just what these special plates would look like.
Audubon was not in London at the time Havell was pre-
paring the composites, so he was unable to supervise the
job. It probably seemed wise to have six copies of each
composite from which to select the best three for him-
self, Harris, and Phillips. The other three copies of each
composite were apparently put back in Havell's stock of
remaining plates and were used as normal plates in mak-
ing up bound copies of the complete work to be sold in
America. Other copies of The Birds of America are
known to include one or more — but not all 13 — of the
composites in place of the normal plates, and one loose
composite is known to be in private hands. The remai-
ning copies of the composites are still undiscovered and
may be included in yet other bound volumes or they may
survive as loose plates. There may well be collectors of
Audubon plates who are unaware that they own one of
these rare composites.

It is unfortunate that Edward Harris's copy of The
Birds of America seems to have disappeared. It is fairly
certain that his copy was sent to him as a set of loose
plates. Audubon wrote him on 18 March 1839:

I will write to Havell to keep your Copy of the Work
unbound, and I am glad to hear that we have in America
persons who can do such things as binding books as well
as in London for one half the price charged in the latter
place. 16

Harris apparently intended to have his copy bound
up in this country, but there is no confirmation that he
ever did so. Information supplied to Fries by one of Har-
ris's descendants confirms that many loose plates are
owned by numerous family members, strongly suggesting
that the copy was never bound up. " That Harris's library
was dispersed, at least in part, is indicated by the pres-
ence in Field Museum's Rare Book Collection of his
autographed copy of the earliest illustrated bird book:
Pierre Belon's L'historie de la nature des oyseaux (Paris,

1555). For now, the fate of his copy of The Birds of Amer-
ica is simply unknown.

The history of the Phillips copy was a more fortun-
ate one. Whether the idea of the "ottoman" originated
with Audubon, Gifford, Phillips, or someone else, Phil-
lips had such a cabinet built for his set of the folio. The
excellent state of preservation of his copy is largely the
result of this protective housing. It appears that eight
years after Phillips's death in 1862 some or all of his
library was sold in London, including his copy of the
folio. A brief notice of that sale in an American journal
in 1870 made no mention of extra plates or systematic
arrangement of the plates, and mistakenly identified the
copy as Audubon's own, but the distinctive ottoman is
described in detail. The set was apparently purchased at
that time by the Baroness Burdett-Coutts and, in turn,
sold to J.W. Dearden at an auction of the Baroness's
library in London in 1922. It next passed to the Chicago
rare book dealer Kenneth Nebenzahl at a Sotheby's,
London, auction in 1969, and from him to Mary W.
Runnells, who donated the set to Field Museum. In light
of what is now known the set should rightly be referred to
as the Phillips copy and take its place along with
Audubon's copy as one of the two premier sets of The
Birds of America. PH

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I would like to thank Ms Anna Jean Caffey and Ms Vicki L. Heltunen
of the H.J. Lutcher Stark Museum, Orange, Texas, for their hospital-
ity and patience during my visit to examine Audubon's copy of The
Birds of America; and a special thanks for unremitting assistance of
many kinds to Mr. Scott MacKenzie, Audubon enthusiast and friend
and correspondent of Waldemar Fries. — B. W. W.

NOTES

1. Chicago; American Library Association, 1973

2. H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation, Audubon- Bakewell
Correspondence, Letter No. 2

3. Audubon-Bakewell Correspondence, Letter No. 4

4. Houghton Library, Harvard University, bMS Am 1482,
No. 245

5. Fries, p. 307

6. Fries, p. 259

7. Houghton Library bMS Am 1482, No. 245

8. Houghton Library, pfMS Am 21, No. 8 (7 May 1833)

9. Houghton Library, pfMS Am 21, No. 21b (25 May 1835)

10. Quoted in F.H. Herrick, Audubon the Naturalist (New York,
1917), Vol. 2, pp. 144-145

1 1 . Houghton Library, pfMS Am 21, No. 38

12. Houghton Library, pfMS Am 21, No. 15, No. 28

13. Houghton Library, pfMS Am 21, No. 39

14. Houghton Library, pfMS Am 21, No. 48

15. Fries, p. 170. Audubon's "Ledger B" is held by the Audubon
Museum, Henderson, Ky.

16. Houghton Library, pfMS Am 21, No. 47

17. Fries, p. 155

21

A Collectors
Tale

by Alan Solem, Curator of Invertebrates

photos by the author

Leslie Hubricht at home

M

22

Leridian, Mississippi is home for the current Miss
America, Susan Akin; site of the Jimmie Rodgers
(Father of Country Music, The Singing Brakeman)
Museum; and, in a comfortable, well shaded house on a
quiet street, location of a unique biological collection.
This national treasure has been built by a remarkable
individual, Leslie Hubricht — collector for 57 years,
publishing scientist for 51 years, and world authority on
the land snails of the Eastern United States.

For 46 years he has interacted with staff scientists at
Field Museum of Natural History.

The 500,000 land snail specimens amassed by Les-
lie Hubricht exceed the materials now in the combined
collections of major United States museums, form an
irreplaceable record of what species lived where at stages
during the twentieth-century destruction of eastern for-
ests by agriculture and lumbering, provide benchmark
data concerning repopulation of snail faunas in park
areas, and thus are a treasure trove of data for students
and scientists in the centuries to come.

Land snails are sensitive indicators of ecological
change, locally extinguished by clear-cutting or grazing
by stock, preserved in steep ravines and fenced wood-
lots. His collections are the major documentation of
what lived where in the Eastern United States during the
mid-twentieth century. As such, they will be of im-
mense value to ecologists, systematists, environmental-
ists, and biogeographers of the future.

Field Museum's cooperation with Leslie Hubricht

dates back to 1940, essentially spanning the curatorial
careers of Fritz Haas (1938-1965) and Alan Solem (1956
to date). At first the cooperation was one-way. Hubricht
donated duplicate specimens to help start our mollusk
collection. Later he gave us all of his bulky freshwater
unionid clams, principally from the Ozarks, as his inter-
est focused more and more on land snails and the cost
of moving his growing collection from city to city
mounted. Since Fritz Haas's primary interest was in the
unionid freshwater clams, this initial thrust of coopera-
tion was of major significance to Field Museum.

Starting in 1960, we could reciprocate. As
Hubricht discovered more and more new species, Field
Museum staff prepared illustrations of type specimens for
him and provided a permanent home for these name-
bearing examples. A stream of optical photographs,
drawings, and scanning electron microscope photo-
graphs flowed out shortly after the specimens came in.
Our type collection increased, and Hubricht's bibliog-
raphy mounted towards its current 147 publications.

The classic modern account of the land snails of the
Eastern United States, Henry A. Pilsbry's Land Mollusca
of North America (North of Mexico), published by the
Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia from 1939
to 1948, became increasingly outdated, mainly as a re-
sult of Hubricht's collecting and publishing. Initially as
an aid to his own collecting sallies, Hubricht had plotted
county records for each species on separate outline maps.
This was started when the second part of Pilsbry's man-

ual was issued in 1940 (Part 1, published in 1939, treated
land mollusks from the Western United States) , contin-
ued when the third section appeared in 1946, and was
completed after the 1948 publication of Part 4- As
Hubricht collected and studied, focusing on working
areas that represented gaps in the data available to
Pilsbry, each new record was transferred to these maps.
Leslie, his maps, and a cluster of students and collectors
seeking identifications, distributional data, and advice,
were a familiar sight at national meetings of the Ameri-
can Malacological Union.

Publication of these maps and a summary of
Hubricht's ideas on species of land snails in the Eastern

are collecting trips for the coming years as his collection
continues to grow in number and scope, and his list of
publications enlarges.

We will continue to assist in his studies. We are very
proud and happy that he has chosen to will his collection
to Field Museum of Natural History, and that we will
become the permanent guardian of this unique and
irreplaceable national treasure. While museums are the
logical long-term custodians of such collections, the ori-
gin of each is mostly in the dedication and drive of indi-
viduals such as Leslie Hubricht. Indeed, up to 90 percent
of the mollusk collections in major U.S. museums have
resulted from the activities of individual collectors

Specimens are grouped
according to vial size to
conserve space. By
means of an elaborate
cross-index, Hubricht
can locate any particular
set in a few seconds.

United States became more and more essential. After
retiring in February 1973, Leslie put full time effort into
fieldwork to fill in distributional gaps, establish range
limits, reviewing the collections in the major museums,
then adding their records to his maps, and describing
additional new species. Finally, late in 1983, the check
list and 523 distributional maps were considered ready
for publication. They were submitted to Field Museum,
reviewed by outside specialists, and the monograph
accepted. Minor editing, trimming and mounting of the
maps, and production routine followed. The long-
awaited The Distributions of the Native Land Mollusks of
the Eastern United States was issued by Field Museum as
Fieldiana: Zoology, new series, no. 24, on June 28, 1985.
This forms a milestone and will be the basis for the
next generations of students to build upon. Far from be-
ing finished, Hubricht has a private list of collecting sites
from which he has gotten only one or two examples each
of additional new species. Totalling more than 20, here

rather than by professional scientists and curators. In-
sects, herpetology, and fossils are other areas whose col-
lections owe much to individuals.

It is most appropriate to portray Leslie Hubricht, to
see how and why he was able to accomplish so much as a
private individual. Not only because of intrinsic inter-
est, but also as a lesson of encouragement to those who
might be thinking of investigating some branch of
natural history, but are uncertain as to what they might
contribute.

Chance and choices are part of every life, and
Hubricht's story exemplifies this pattern. Born in Los
Angeles on January 11, 1908, his instincts as a naturalist
surfaced at age two, when, after a rainstorm, he remem-
bers noticing eight different species of ants running
about the backyard. The family moved to Kokomo, Indi-
ana in 1917, and for the next six years he bird- watched
and looked at plants, but lacked a seminal influence to
develop and focus his natural history instincts. After he

23

completed his first semester of high school, the family
relocated to St. Louis, where he had to go to work and
elp provide support. Thus, his formal schooling ended
early. The depression years came. Leslie moved from
temporary job to temporary job as did most who survived
that bleak episode in our nation's history.

A highlight in his life was the Webster Groves Na-
ture Society, a group of amateur naturalists and some
colleagues from local universities and the Missouri Bo-
tanical Garden. Such eventually famous naturalists as
Ralph Swain the entomologist, Richard Grossenheider
the mammalogist, Julian Steyermark who later worked
as a botanist at Field Museum in the 1940s and 1950s,
and Phil Rau of insect behavior fame, were at the start of
careers. They interacted with Hubricht and encouraged
his interests.

Because caves were common in the St. Louis area
and little studied, he began exploration alone and with
others, collecting isopods, amphipods, insects, and even
snails. Specimens were sent to busy authorities for iden-
tifications, often languishing on cluttered desks for long
periods. A critical turning point came when Edgar
Anderson, the famous geneticist, arrived at the Missouri
Botanical Garden and hired Hubricht as his research
assistant. Joint field trips, coauthored papers, and a hap-
py 7 '/2-year association lasted until 1943. Anderson then
went to Mexico for studies on Indian corn, and Hubricht
was jobless. Rejected for military service, his scientific
outlook molded by his interactions in St. Louis, a turn-
ing point in his life was at hand. About 1940 he had been
offered a scholarship at the University of Chicago, de-
spite his lack of a high school diploma. Having seen the
underside of faculty life, and not wishing to teach, he
had turned down this chance for an academic career.

By 1943 he had written or coauthored 24 scientific
papers, mostly on botany, isopods, amphipods, cave life,
but some notes on freshwater and land snails. His collec-
tion of shells became substantial. The first catalog entry
was for Rabdotus decdbatus ozarkensis, an endemic Mis-
souri subspecies, collected April 21, 1929. By 1943 there
were 7,000 entries. He then made a critical choice,
applying for a job with Remington Rand as a tabulating
machine mechanic. Later he was to service UNIVAC
computers. He remained with Remington Rand through
its change into UNIVAC until his retirement in Febru-
ary 1973.

He took initial tabulating machine training in II-

ion, New York, then was posted to Norfolk, Virginia

until the end of 1945. This was followed by short periods

in Detroit, Battle Creek, and Dallas. In May 1948 he was

24 shifted to Danville, Virginia, where he remained for 7'/2

years. Pilsbry's monumental land snail monograph at last
was completed, and the thousands of distributional rec-
ords had been transferred onto Hubricht's maps.

Although Hubricht had described his first land
snail species in 1938, Anguispira rugoderma from Pine
Mountain, Kentucky, and published a number of scien-
tific papers prior to 1943, there was a gap in his publish-
ing activity — but not his collectings — from 1943 to 1949.
In part, this was because he was living in and collecting
from regions where only known species of land snails
occurred. In part he was waiting for Pilsbry to summarize
current knowledge. Until that happened, the only
identification book available to him had been published
in 1885 (W. J. Binney's A Manual of American Land
Shells, Bulletin 28, United States National Museum),
which was hopelessly out of date in the 1940s. In part he
was honing his knowledge of land snails, beginning to
study their anatomy, becoming focused on their ecology.

Things came together for Hubricht in the late
1940s. He was located in Danville, Virginia with con-
venient access to rich snail country — the Appalachian
and Piedmont areas. Pilsbry had completed his summary
work. If a land snail species was known, Pilsbry had dis-
cussed and figured it. If the land snail was a new species,
Hubricht could recognize this fact — and describe it.
Then came the happy and productive years. Collecting
every weekend, vacation trips to even more interesting
areas. Gleefully accepting, as a troubleshooter, offers of
transfer by UNIVAC to Iowa in 1956; two years in Lare-
do, Texas; up to Louisville, Kentucky; brief periods in
Memphis, Tennessee; Jackson, Mississippi; Montgom-
ery, Ozark, and Mobile, Alabama; Jacksonville, Florida;
Augusta, Savannah, Atlanta, Georgia; and then to
Meridian, Mississippi in 1961. Each stay allowed him to
survey and collect snails from a new area. His collection
grew at rate of 2,000 lots of land snails annually.

And not only snails. He has sent more than 200
new species of millipedes to Richard L. Hoffman. On
April 9, 1960, he found in Butler County, Alabama — to
the amazement and chagrin of salamander specialists — a
new genus of salamander, named Phaeognathus hubrichti
Highton. This is only one of the 3 plants and 26 ani -
mals named after him by other scientists.

His own contributions have been prodigious. To
date, 81 of the 523 land snail species from Eastern North
America have been described by Leslie Hubricht, with
the 20+ "need more material" species still to come.
Only Henry A. Pilsbry, with 79 species described as sole
author and 12 more with coauthors, exceeds Hubricht's
contribution. Thomas Say, founder of American en-
tomology and malacology in the early 1800s, is a dis-

Hubricht's collection is
packed in modular crates
to facilitate moving from
city to city.

tinct third with 50 described land snail species from
this region.

Dedicated efforts, perpetual interest in what might
be found in the next valley, a job enabling him to spend
time in most sections of the Eastern United States —
these are keys to his success. Then active retirement
involving spring collecting trips of three to four weeks
when rains had activated the snails, with shorter fall
trips coinciding with rains to fill in distributional gaps.
His scientific training came from self study, association
with enthusiastic naturalists in St. Louis, and especially
from his 7Vi years working with a leading biologist,
Edgar Anderson.

The St. Louis years provided the focus and skills.
His own efforts and organizational abilities resulted in
assembling his unique collection, compiling the massive
amounts of data, and, most importantly, deciding when
to present this as a summary work. Not as a completed
task, but as a mark along the way. Even casual glances at
his published maps show many areas in which little or no
collecting has been done (Wisconsin and Illinois are
among the blanker areas), questions as to species range
limits remain unsolved, and then there are the Ap-
palachian Mountain areas, a center of evolution for
many plants and animals, with undoubted new species
and even genera to be discovered by dedicated and
skilled collectors.

As his maps were refined and his descriptive papers
multiplied, other malacologists urged him to publish
them. In the mid-1970s he had sample pages prepared in
close to the actual published form. At this point, Field
Museum offered to help with issuing the final product.
But Hubricht knew that he could, with his retirement

years at hand, present a much more useful and com-
prehensive volume with additional work. And the added
decade of effort and refinement followed.

It will be at least another 40 years before somebody
will supersede his efforts, after another lifetime of dedi-
cated efforts. His dream was a large one, and well ful-
filled with the massive collection and well received sum-
mary publication. The latest entry in his mollusk catalog
is lot 48,957, some Mississippi specimens of the land
snail Stenotrema leai aliciae, collected November 23,
1985. He modestly points out that perhaps 6,000 lots of
foreign land snails, freshwater clams, and some fresh-
water snails have been donated to museums previously,
so he retains only about 43,000 lots with 500,000+
specimens.

This then is the summary of the career and contri-
butions to date of a dedicated naturalist and collector,
Leslie Hubricht. He has amassed an incomparable
collection of a major group of organisms, published on
them extensively, and prepared a landmark summary
that will aid the research of others for decades to come.
His efforts stand as an inspiration to all collectors and
naturalists, whatever their field of interest.

Field Museum has been able to provide help to him
over the years, and published his summary work with
pride. But we have received so much from him in terms
of donated specimens and the types deposited, that we
are in his debt. And his confidence in the future of mala-
cological research at Field Museum, indicated by willing
his collection to us, is evidence of the interdependence
of individual efforts and institutional continuity, both in
advancing knowledge of the living world and preserving
samples and records of its diversity. Flf

25

Tours for Members

North Cape and Spitzbergen

June 27- July 12
$3,550-$6,440

Sail to the Land of the Midnight Sun, to the North Cape, where the sun
shines 24 hours a day, aboard the "ultra deluxe" Vistafjord. This Five-Star
ship represents the very epitome of ocean-going elegance: impeccable ser-
vice, first-class cuisine, dazzling entertainment, luxurious living, and un-
rivaled attention to detail.

June 28. Embarkation from Hamburg, Germany. Here on the River
Elbe is one of Europe's brightest and most exciting cities. Explore the
entertainments of the St. Paul district, go sightseeing to City Hall and
shopping along the busy Mockebergstrasse, or drive out to the peace and
quiet of the picturesque Alster Lakes.

June 30. Molde, Norway. An unusually warm climate graces this
delightful Norwegian town, which lies in the path of the Gulf Stream. Of
special note: Romsdal Museum, an open-air compound of carefully
assembled wooden houses dating back to the time of the Vikings. Aan-
dalsnes, Norway. This small, picturesque village on the banks of the
Rauma River lies below the soaring mountains and tumbling waterfalls of
the Romsdal Valley. Ascend Stifjell mountain and cross the lofty bridge
over Stigfoss Waterfalls. There are superb views down the Isterdal Valley, a
fertile land filled with quiet peaceful farms.

July 3. Magdalena Bay, Spitzbergen. Massive glaciers in Spitzbergen's
mountains inch their way down to the sea and Magdalena Bay, providing
one of the world's most awesome natural spectacles. Cruising Lillehhok
Fjord. Sailing past New Aalesund.

July 4. Longyearbyen, Spitzbergen. This is Spitzbergen's main settle-
ment, located at the head of Advent Bay. It looks out on a coastline of
seals, walrus, whales, and thousands of seabirds. Longyearbyen was
named by an American engineer who founded it in 1906; the search for
coal is still pursued in nearby Barentsburg.

July 5. Skarsvaag, Norway. Here is the most northerly point in Europe.
Up the road and across the tundra from Skarsvaag, you will have a rare
and awe-inspiring opportunity — a chance to stand on 1,000 ft. cliffs with
nothing but polar ice-pack between you and the Arctic Ocean. In the sum-
mer, as you shall see, the sun shines all the time — 24 hours a day.
July 6. Hammerfest, Norway. The brightly painted houses of the
world's most northerly town contrast greatly with the harsh hills which
are its backdrop. The attractive little shops offer a wide array of fine crafts,
and the Hammerfest Museum records more than 200 years of the town's
rich history.

Tromso, Norway. Sheltered by the islands along this craggy coastline,
Tromso has long been an important fishing port and the largest city along
the Arctic Circle. It was from Tromso that the famous explorer Admund-
sen staged his great expedition to the North Pole.

July 7. Narvik, Norway. This shipping port along the ice-blue fjords is
surrounded by snow-tipped peaks that rival any in the country. Visit the
crystal clear Rombaksfjord, which can be crossed via a magnificent new
suspension bridge, then continue on to Bjerkvik and Gratangen, where
you'll be surrounded by some of northern Europe's most beautiful
wildflowers.

July 8. Sailing past the Arctic Circle and several seaside towns.
July 9. Hellesylt, Norway. An excellent starting point for excursions
through a land where mountains soar to dizzying heights and waterfalls
spread their lacework across the cliffs. Visit the orchards strung together in
a brilliant garland of blossoms.

Geiranger. Norway. Geiranderfjord is one of the most splendid in all
of Norway, enclosed on both sides by precipitous walls of rock. Visit
Geiranger's tiny octagonal church, ascend Mt. Diasnibba and take in a
magnificent panoramic view of the mountains, lakes and waterfalls. And
save time to visit Tystig branch of Europe's most enormous glacier.
July 10. Bergen, Norway. This town of seven hills was founded in 1070
and is now one of Norway's major seaports. Windows on its past include
the 13th-century fortress of Bergenhus, the Rosenkrantz Tower and
Edvard Grieg's home at Troldhaugen, while present day Norway is typi-
26 fied by the busy fish and flower market.

July 12. We disembark in Hamburg, Germany.

Bertram G. Woodland, curator of petrology at Field Museum, will
accompany the tour. He received his B.Sc. (honors) at the University of
Wales and his Ph.D. at the University of Chicago. He will enrich this lovely
cruise with his thorough knowledge of the rock formations and geologic
history of the fjords, and discussions on the many interesting excursions.
Working as a lecturer/tour leader is not a new experience for Bert, as he
has escorted Field Museum groups through England and Wales (his native
country). Galena, Illinois and several Grand Canyon rafting expeditions.

English Homes and Country Tour

July 1—15
$2,725 (double occupancy)

The "treasure houses" of Britain are best experienced within their
architectural context and amidst their natural landscapes. Here we travel
the paths of history and culture in the most immediate sense. But unlike
most tours that rush you around for a cursory introduction, Field Museum
is offering the discriminating traveler an opportunity to get to the heart of
the English people and live in the English countryside as they do. The
English are a thoroughly hospitable people, making you feel truly wel-
come as they take you into their comfortable homes as a guest of special
importance. Past travelers have made lasting friendships with their hosts,
returning again and again, even reciprocating the welcome as their Eng-
lish friends visited here. This view of a remarkable country is rare indeed,
and especially relaxing since you stay several days in one home instead of
spending your time on a bus. We stay in the southeastern counties where
charming thatched villages complement vast cathedrals and living
hedgerows set off lush royal gardens. Your hosts and hostesses include
baronets, generals, company directors, doctors, members of Parliament,
and landowners. Their homes range from mansions to more modest yet
extremely comfortable cottages. Accommodations include use of a private
bathroom.

Come and visit this 'tied to the past' yet forward-looking and charm-
ing country. Inquire into the customs and foibles of the people as you tour
with not only a local guide, but with a scholar from Field Museum, who
was born and raised in this remarkable country. Dr. Peter Crane got his
Ph.D. in botany at the University of Reading. He is an associate curator in
the Department of Geology at Field Museum and was recognized as one of
ten "Outstanding Young Citizens" by the Chicago Junior Association of
Commerce and Industry in 1985. He is excited about this unusual travel
opportunity in his native country and invites you to join him and his
countrymen in an exploration of English Homes and Country.

July 1. Depart Chicago O'Hare for Heathrow.

July 2. Arrive Heathrow. Met by tour director; board luxury coach for
drive to Canterbury. Meet hostesses and drive to their homes to unpack
and freshen up before lunch. At leisure for the rest of the day. In the eve-
ning dinner with hostesses.

July 3. Canterbury. A day in and around Canterbury. First a tour of
the cathedral personally introduced by a canon from the cathedral staff,
followed by a wander in Canterbury before lunch. After lunch further
time to wander in Canterbury before visiting the village of Fordwich,
which has the oldest town hall in England. Dinner in a private house.
July 4. South Kent. Drive south to the Cinque Port of Rye with its
steep cobbled streets and period houses, and the world famous Mermaid
Pub. A short drive to Bodiam Castle, built in 1386 to defend the Rother
Valley from incursions by the French, followed by lunch at the Castle Pub.
Another short drive to Great Dixter, a house built about 1450 (not long
after Chaucer) and which now has a lovely garden containing a wide
variety of unusual and interesting plants. Dinner in a private house.
JulyS. Mid-Kent. After breakfast a leisurely drive to Leeds Castle for a
private tour of what was described by Lord Conway as the "loveliest castle
in the world." On through typical Kent countryside to Sissinghurst Castle,
with its well-known and very beautiful garden. After lunch in the Castle
restaurant, a short drive to Godinton Park for a private visit to this man-

sion with its fine Stuart panelling, carving, and magnificent furniture and
porcelain. Dinner with hostesses.

July 6. Travel To Cambridge. Goodbye to the Canterbury hostesses. A
short drive to the great Norman cathedral at Rochester in the heart of
Dickens country where those who wish may attend a service. Then by
tunnel under the River Thames northward into the county of Essex for
lunch in a Tudor pub. After lunch a drive through the changing East
Anglian countryside to meet and dine with Cambridge hostesses.
July 7. Suffolk. A day in Suffolk countryside immortalized by artist
John Constable. First to Newmarket, home of the Sport of Kings, and
center of the racing industry for a private tour of the Gallops, Tattersalls
Selling Ring and Jockey Club for sherry. Lunch in Newmarket before driv-
ing to the medieval town of Bury St. Edmunds with its beautiful cathedral.
In the late afternoon a short drive to Lavenham with time to explore the
Guildhall dating from the 1520s, and the most splendid of all "Wool"
churches before dining in one of the oldest buildings in Lavenham, the
famous Swan Hotel.

July 8. Cambridge. A day in and around Cambridge, first visiting his-
toric colleges and churches including Kings College Chapel, followed by a
visit to the American Military Cemetery at Madingley which com-
memorates those Americans who died in northwest Europe in World War
II. Lunch at a private house close to Cambridge. The afternoon in Cam-
bridge exploring the city before dining with hostesses.
July 9. Travel To Chichester. After bidding farewell to Cambridge hos-
tesses a drive south to West Sussex bypassing London to the west, and
stopping for a pub lunch on the way. In the afternoon visit the Royal
Horticultural Society Gardens at Wisley. These world-famous gardens
contain an extraordinary collection of plants, flowers, trees, and shrubs,
and attract visits by horticulturists from all over the world. A further jour-
ney to meet and later dine with hostesses.

July 10. Chichester. First to Bosham to visit Trinity Church of King
Canute fame before going to Chichester for a stroll through the Pallants to
the Hospice of St. Mary, then lunch in the Dolphin and Anchor. A Private
tour of the Cathedral and free time to explore before having supper at the
Festival Theatre Restaurant and attending a performance at the theatre.
July 11. Winchester. A drive west, skirting Portsmouth and South-
ampton, to Broadlands, home of the late Lord Mountbatten. A short drive
to Winchester for lunch in the Wessex Hotel before visiting the cathedral
and wandering in its environs. Return to Chichester through the rolling
countryside of West Sussex. Dinner with Hostesses.
July 12. Mid-Sussex. Visit Boxgrove Priory which dates from the 12th
century. A short drive to the thatched village of Amberley which nestles at
the foot of the Downs. A pub lunch. Then to Petworth, a magnificent late
17th-century house which includes among its treasures works by Van
Dyke and Turner, and a Grinling Gibbons room. A private dinner at Good-
wood House followed by a tour of this historic home of the Dukes of Rich-
mond and Gordon.

July 13th. Travel to London. Goodbye to Chichester hostesses, and

drive to London for an orientation tour through the West End and City

before arriving at the Mandeville Hotel and settling in there before lunch.

Free afternoon and evening.

July 14. London. Free day and evening in London. The booklet on

London in the personal folders given to each guest on arrival in England

lists places of interest, how to get there and times of opening. A private

tour of the Palace of Westminster, provided the Houses of Parliament are

not in recess, will be arranged for those who wish.

July 15. Tour Ends. Those returning home will be escorted to London

Heathrow by our tour director. Arrive Chicago O'Hare.

Alaska

$4,885
July 2-16

Experience the Great Land. Descriptions of Alaska are filled with super-
latives—a state more than twice the size of Texas with a population less
than that of Denver, 33,000 miles of coastline, 119 million acres of forest,
14 of the highest peaks in the United States culminating in Mt. Denali

(formerly Mt. McKinley), at 20,320 feet. Alaska is equally a land of wild-
life superlatives, from her great herds of caribou to swarming seabird
rookeries to surging salmon in migration. When one thinks of Alaska one
thinks of wilderness, of nature still fresh and undomesticated, of experi-
ences dreamed of but mostly unavailable to us of the lower 48.

Join us for an Alaskan odyssey through a wide range of habitats from
the rockbound fur seal and sea bird colonies of the Pribilofs, to the drip-
ping forest and calving glaciers of the southeast, to the grandeur of the
Alaskan Range, to the Fjordlike quiet and beauty of the inland passage.

Our travels will be by plane, train, bus, boat, and foot — whatever best
enhances our experience. Emphasis will be on the land, its history, its
wildlife. Interpretation combined with direct observation will provide an
enjoyment and quality of experience unavailable to the casual visitor.
Whatever your interest in natural history — marine mammals, birding,
mountains, photography, flowers, forests, glaciers, rivers — this tour will
show you Alaska in all its diversity and splendor.

Dr. David Willard, manager of Field Museum's bird and mammal col-
lections, will be tour leader. He received his Ph.D. in Biology at Princeton
University, where he was acting curator of Princeton Museum of Orni-
thology. He has been on a number of research expeditions for Field
Museum. His experience in bird and animal identification and his experi-
ence as a tour leader will enrich this expedition for you. He invites you to
share in the beauty of Alaska this summer.

July 2. Fly Chicago to Sitka; welcome dinner; overnight Sitka Sheffield
Hotel.

July 3. Breakfast at hotel; morning city tour with stop at Raptor Center;
lunch; late afternoon marine wildlife trip on private yacht Taku Queen:
weather permitting, cruise to St. Lazaria National Wildlife Refuge; dinner
on board; overnight Sitka Sheffield Hotel.

July 4. Breakfast at hotel; morning flight to Juneau; Mendenhall River
Float Trip with lunch along the river; tour Mendenhall Wetlands; late
afternoon options available: flightseeing, helicopter onto Mendenhall
Glacier or a guided hike; evening outdoor salmon bake; overnight Shef-
field Hotel Juneau.

July 5. Breakfast at hotel; morning flight to Glacier Bay; Glacier Bay
cruise aboard the MV Glacier Bay Explorer; overnight on board the
Explorer; lunch and dinner on board Explorer.

July 6. Cruising Glacier Bay in morning; return to Glacier Bay Lodge for
lunch; afternoon flight to Juneau and on to Fairbanks. Dinner and over-
night at Fairbanks Inn.

July 7. Breakfast at hotel; Alaska Railroad to Denali National Park;
lunch at the Park entrance; afternoon free to see park service exhibits,
slide shows and films; salmon bake dinner; overnight McKinley Chalets.
July 8. Early morning breakfast at the chalets; 6 a.m. departure by pri-
vate bus through Denali National Park for wildlife viewing; arrive
Kantishna Roadhouse and Bushcamp for lunch; tour of Kantishna by
local homesteaders; wildlife tour exiting the park;return to chalets in
early evening for dinner and overnight.

July 9. Breakfast and lunch at the chalets; chance to sleep in after long
prior day; afternoon Alaska Railroad to Anchorage; dinner and overnight
Sheraton Hotel.

July 10. Breakfast at hotel; late morning departure for Potters Marsh
birding and on to Portage Glacier; Portage River Float Trip; lunch at the
Portage Glacier Lodge; return to Achorage for overnight at the Sheraton.
July 11. Breakfast and lunch on own; morning free for optional activi-
ties, shopping, visit to the museum, etc.; afternoon Eagle River Float Trip
with dinner and fireworks along the river; overnight Sheraton.
July 12. Breakfast at the hotel; fly Anchorage to St. George Island, with
lunch en route; dinner and overnight at St. George Hotel.
July 13, 14. At St. George rookeries; breakfast and dinner at the hotel;
lunch in the field. An evening gathering in the home of one of the Aleut
community leaders.

July 15. Breakfast at St. George Hotel; fly St. George to Anchorage,
arriving late afternoon; final group dinner and slide show; overnight
Sheraton Hotel.
July 16. Breakfast at hotel; fly Anchorage to Chicago.

For reservations, call or write Dorothy Roder (322-8862), Tours Manager, Field Museum,
Roosevelt Rd. at Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, 1160605

27

Field Museum of Natural History
Membership Department
Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605-2499

FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY BULLETIN

July/August 1986

**

>

Field Museum
of Natural History
Bulletin

Published by

Field Museum of Natural History

Founded 1893

President: Willard L. Boyd

Editor/ Designer: David M. Walsten
Production Liaison: Pamela Stearns
Staff Photographer: Ron Testa

Board of Trustees

Richard M. Jones,

Chairman
Mrs. T. Stanton Armour
George R. Baker
Robert O. Bass
Gordon Bent
Mrs. Philip D. Block III
Willard L. Boyd
Robert D. Cadieux
Henry T. Chandler
Worley H. Clark
Frank W. Considine
Stanton R. Cook
William R. Dickinson, Jr.
Thomas E. Donnelley II
Thomas J. Eyerman
Marshall Field
Ronald J. Gidwitz
Clarence E. Johnson
John James Kinsella
Hugo J. Melvoin
Leo F. Mullin
Earl L. Neal
James J. O'Connor
Robert A. Pritzker
James H. Ransom
John S. Runnells
Patrick G. Ryan
William L. Searle
Mrs. Malcolm N. Smith
Robert H. Strotz
Mrs. Theodore D. Tieken
E. Leland Webber
Blaine J. Yarrington

Life Trustees

Harry O. Bercher
Bowen Blair
Mrs. Edwin J. DeCosta
Clifford C. Gregg
William V. Kahler
William H. Mitchell
Edward Byron Smith
John W. Sullivan
J. Howard Wood

CONTENTS

July/August 1986
Volume 57, Number 7

July/August Events at Field Museum

Pigeons

by Jerry Sullivan

Harry Hoogstraal, 1917-1986

by Robert Traub and Robert F. Inger

Wildflowers of the Chicago Area-
Late Summer and Fall

by Floyd A. Swink

11

Miner W. Bruce: Reindeer Herder, Showman, and
Collector for the Field Columbian Museum 19

by James W. VanStone

Field Museum Tours

26

COVER

"Winter Sunrise on a Bristlecone Pine, White Mountains, Califor-
nia, 1974 " is the title of this compelling photo by Galen Rowell,
© Galen Rowell, Mountain Light Photography Inc.

This and 98 other photos by Rowell, comprising the special
exhibit "Mountain Light," will be on display at Field Museum
beginning July 5. The exhibit's 99 images taken on and
around rugged mountain tops in Tibet, China, Pakistan, Nepal,
and North America are incredible masterworks of wilderness
photography.

Galen Rowell "s photographs have appeared in many major
publications including National Geographic, Audubon, Na-
tional Wildlife, Outside, and Sports Illustrated. He is also the
author of five wilderness books.

Galen Rowell is "a genuine adventurer and — most of all — a
world-class, absolutely brilliant photographer. He specializes in
heights and distances, finding, climbing and then capturing on
film those almost inaccessible peaks that most of us are destined
only to dream of. ... " PSA Journal (Photographic Society of
America, Inc.) January 1984.

Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin {USPS 898-940) is published monthly, except combined July/ August issue, by Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive,
Chicago, IL 60605-2496. © 1986 Field Museum of Natural History. Subscriptions: $6.00 annually. $3.00 for schools. Museum membership includes Bulletin subscription. Opinions expressed by
authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policy of Field Museum. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. Museum phone: (312) 922-9410. Notification of address change should

include address label and be sent to Membershin Denartment. Postmaster: Please send form 3 579 to Field Museum of Natural Historv Roosevelt Rnart at I^ke Shore nrive Chif aoo II. 60605-2496.

Events

^\

Summer Fun Workshops
For Young People

July 9 through August 3

Come Explore the vast and fascinating world of
natural history in a Summer Fun workshop at Field
Museum! Children ages 4-13 can journey to Africa
and meet the animals that live on the plains and in the
forests of this continent, or become a dinosaur sleuth
and track the elusive "terrible lizards" through the
Museum. Learn to draw Egyptian hieroglyphs, make
and fly a kite, or visit the moon — there is something
for everyone. Anthropologists, zoologists, artists,
dancers, and actors bring their talents and expertise
to create informative and creative workshops.

Summer Fun workshops are offered Wednesdays
through Sundays, July 9 through August 3. Work-
shops are held throughout the Museum. Enrollment
is limited and children must register in advance by
mail. Call (312) 322-8854 for Summer Fun brochures,
and up-to-date information about workshop
availability.

Family Feature

Time Marches On

July 12 and 13, 1:00-3 :00pm

Scientists Believe the earth celebrated its 4 billionth
birthday before dinosaurs appeared. What was walk-
ing, swimming, crawling, or flying around before
that? What did our planet look like? Draw your ideas
on our giant time line and take a look at our world of
long ago.

Family Features are free with museum admission and
tickets are not required.

do

Familv Feature

Gourds

August 16 and 17, l:00-3:00pm

Don't Eat Your Vegetables?! Gourds are vege-
tables like squashes and pumpkins, but the outer shell
is more useful than the fruit within. Gourds such as
the Bottle, Aladdin's turban, Dipper or Penguin are
named for their shapes. Throughout the world,
gourds are used as bottles, spoons, pipes, and even
extraordinary sculpture. Find out how easily you
could grow gourds at home. Prepare a gourd to
create your own mask, cup, rattle, or fantastical
creation.

Family Features are free with museum admission and
tickets are not required.

continued ->

Events

Weekend Programs — July

Each Saturday and Sunday you are invited to explore the world of natural history at Field Museum. Free tours,
demonstrations, and films related to ongoing exhibits at the Museum are designed for families and adults. Listed
below are only a few of the numerous activities each weekend. Check the Weekend Programs sheet upon arrival
for the complete schedule and program locations. These programs are partially supported by a grant from the
Illinois Arts Council.

July

12 11:30am. Ancient Egypt (tour). Explore the
traditions of ancient Egypt from everyday life to
myths and mummies.

12:30pm. Museum Safari (tour). Seek out big
game from Africa and mummies from ancient Egypt
as you travel through Field Museum exhibits.

19 12:00 noon. Continents Adriji (demonstration).
The concept of "moving" continents is illustrated
with enormous puzzle pieces.

26 12:30pm. Museum Safari (tour). Seek out big
game from Africa and mummies from ancient Egypt
as you travel through Field Museum exhibits.

Weekend Programs— August

August

2 11:30am. Ancient Egypt (tour). Explore the tradi-
tions of ancient Egypt from everyday life to myths
and mummies.

3 12:30pm. Treasures from the Totem Forest (tour).
A walk through Museum exhibits introduces the
Indians of southeast Alaska and British Columbia,
their totem poles and masks.

9 12:30pm. Museum Safari (tour). Seek out big
game from Africa and mummies from ancient Egypt
as you travel through Field Museum exhibits.

10 12:00 noon. Life in Ancient Egypt (tour). Focus
on the objects and practices which illustrate ancient
life in the Nile Valley.

17 2:00pm. Traditional China (tour). Examine the
imagery, history and lifestyles represented by
Chinese jades and other masterworks.

23 12:30pm. Museum Safari (tour). Seek out big
game from Africa and mummies from ancient Egypt
as you travel through Field Museum exhibits.

24 2:00pm. Chinese Ceramic Traditions (tour) .
Explore 6,000 years of Chinese ceramic art.

These public programs are free with museum admis-
sion and tickets are not required.

**£-

The Pigeon

Symbol of the Holy Spirit or Scourge of City Life,
Certainly the Most Controversial Member of the Bird Kingdom

by Jerry Sullivan

I should say right at the start that I like pigeons. Mine is
not a common attitude these days. Pigeons are routinely
castigated as filthy, disease-ridden pests. Pigeon control
is a substantial business. Pigeon consultants advise the
government on how to minimize the pigeon presence at
major outdoor events, like presidential inaugurations.
City ordinances make outlaws of old ladies scattering
stale bread in the park. One Chicago suburb recently
outlawed all backyard bird feeders on the dubious
grounds that they were supporting the local pigeon
population.

Another suburb, apparently acting under the influ-
ence of too many Wild Kingdom reruns, tried transporta-
tion as a means of ridding its downtown pigeons. The
birds were trapped and driven to a nearby forest pre-
serve, where they were released. This control program is
a particular favorite of mine. You trap a bird whose hom-
ing abilities have been known since ancient times, a bird
capable of flying as fast as 90 miles an hour, and you
transport it from its natural home on the pavement to a
forest preserve where it will find nothing of interest ex-
cept the trash cans in the picnic groves. The odds are
that the pigeons, who don't have to deal with traffic
lights and speed limits, will arrive back in town long
before the trapper. The whole plan sounds like a scheme
to pad the city payroll. Certainly the municipal pigeon
trapper is never going to run out of birds to catch.

The reason for all this aggression against these
peaceable birds can be summed up in a single word:
Droppings. Yes, they carry diseases, but I doubt if they
would attract all this outrage if they were a bit less obtru-
sive. People are offended by dung-splattered sidewalks
and chalky walls, not to mention the occasional well-

Jerry Sullivan edited Chicago Area Birds, published recently by
Chicago Review Press; writes a column, "Field and Street," for
the Chicago Reader; and has written extensively on birds of the
Chicago area.

aimed dropping that drops right into your hair. The com-
mon opinion is that pigeons are unusually filthy, but the
fact is that the dung situation would be just as bad if
downtown Chicago was supporting a few hundred thou-
sand birds of paradise or quetzals. Animals in large num-
bers produce large amounts of dung. My guess is that
really strong anti-pigeon feelings started to develop
about the time horses disappeared from the urban scene.
If the streets were still full of horse droppings, I doubt if
anybody would even notice the pigeons.

But, as I said, I am hopelessly biased toward pi-
geons. I have several reasons for this opinion. The most
important of them stems from a consideration of what
would live downtown if we eliminated the pigeons.
Nothing. Pigeons have managed to adapt themselves to
some of the least inviting habitats we have created. They
don't need trees; they don't need grass; they don't even
need earth. They can live their whole lives on pave-
ment. If they didn't live in our most citified landscapes,
humans would be the only things moving.

Pigeons also live their lives right in front of us.
Watch pigeons in the park or on the pavement, and you
can see enacted the rituals of love and rivalry that most
of us get to see only on public television. A cock starts
his display with a leaping flight toward the hen. He claps
his wings together on the downstroke. He lands in front
of her and approaches with his neck inflated and ex-
panded, the feathers of his neck, belly, lower back, and
rump held erect. When he reaches the hen, he stands
with his head held high, his beak pointing downward.
He then turns in a tight circle while bowing low.

To get the full effect of this display, you have to
imagine it from the hen's point of view. What she sees is a
black beak crowned by a white cere and a pair of orange
eyes. The pupils actually contract during the display,
making the irises as large and bright as possible. Sur-
rounding this image is a wreath of iridescent green,
bronze, and purple, the cock's erected neck feathers. 5

The final stage of courtship, the act that precedes
copulation, is called billing. The cock grasps the hen's
beak in his, using the same sort of motion he would use
to feed a chick. If you want to be anthropomorphic, you
could say they were kissing, and through the centuries
this has often been said. By the way, billing comes after
cooing, which is done as part of the bowing display.

There is nothing degenerate about these displays.
They are essentially the same as the displays of the rock
dove, the Eurasian ancestor of all domestic pigeons, and
they have a strong family resemblance to the actions of
mourning doves and other totally wild members of the
Columbidae.

I am also impressed by the beauty of pigeons. They
are among the most accomplished of flyers. They can
streak by faster than the legal limit or lightly touch down
on a 25th floor window ledge in a 40 mile-an-hour wind.

Pigeons were probably our first domestic birds.
Archaeological surmise says that Neolithic peoples kept
them. The evidence takes them back to 4500 B.C. in
Iraq. There are references to them in Egypt from before
3000 B.C. And of course, the Bible is full of them. A
dove brings Noah the news that the Flood is over, that
the dry land is emerging. In some versions of the myth,
the dove reveals the news by returning to the Ark with
red clay stuck to its feet. Noah then asked God to turn
the bird's feet permanently red in honor of the moment,
and God agreed. Thus the pigeons in Daley Plaza have
red feet.

Abraham sealed his covenant with God by sacrific-
ing two pigeons, and pigeons and doves are the only
birds mentioned in the Torah as acceptable sacrifices in
the temple. A pair of pigeons became the standard sacri-
fice for a woman to make when she returned to commu-
nity life after giving birth, and in the Gospel of Luke,
we read that Mary made such a sacrifice after the birth
of Jesus.

In the New Testament, the dove becomes a symbol
of the Holy Spirit, of God Himself, and you can't do
much better than that, symbolically speaking.

I should interject here that the words "pigeon" and
"dove" have no scientific standing. Dove comes from
Anglo-Saxon; pigeon comes from Norman French, and
at one time, the two words had identical meanings in
their respective tongues. These days, we tend to apply
the word "dove" to the smaller members of the Columbi-
dae and the word "pigeon" to the bigger birds. But there
is no sharp line of demarcation. Witness the fact that the
wild ancestor of the domestic pigeon is the rock dove.

Pigeons belong to a family of about 300 species that
6 live in tropical and temperate regions worldwide. They

are mostly seed eaters, although some species specialize
in fruit. Their beaks are small and rather weak. They
cannot crush large seeds the way parrots can, so they are
generally confined to eating things they can swallow
whole. The smallest pigeons are not much bigger than a
sparrow. The largest are the ground-dwelling Victoria
crown-pigeons, birds from New Guinea that are almost
as big as a turkey hen.

Despite the size difference, the pigeons show a
strong family resemblance. They tend to be small-
headed and plump-bodied, and their characteristic
head-bobbing walk is instantly recognizable. Take a
stroll through the bird house at the Lincoln Park Zoo —
there are some Victoria crowned pigeons there — and
you will have little trouble recognizing a pigeon, even if
you have no idea what species it is.

A typical pigeon nests, roosts, and takes refuge in
trees, while doing its eating on the ground. The rock
dove departs from that pattern by nesting in sheltered
places on cliff faces. This habit allowed the bird to ex-
ploit barren land where trees were scarce or absent, and
it also pre-adapted them to nesting under sheltering
overhangs on the walls of buildings. In India today, truly
wild rock doves still construct their nests on walls. From
this, we can surmise the likely source of their domestica-
tion. Rock doves probably moved into buildings in the
villages and towns of early civilizations. They could nest
there and feed in the open fields and pastures that the
new science of agricuture created. Such a close associa-
tion with humanity could reasonably lead to the impor-
tance of pigeons and doves as symbols, and it probably
led to the realization that you could breed and raise these
creatures in cages and enjoy the fat, tender squabs for
dinner.

We don't know when humans began to use pigeons
for purposes other than supper, but we have references in
ancient literature that show Julius Caesar sending mes-
sages via pigeon during his campaigns in Gaul. And we
know from a reference in the Talmud from about A.D.
200 that people were racing pigeons. Not only racing
them, but betting on the races. The Talmud specifies
that pigeon racers are not trustworthy witnesses and
should not be allowed to testify in court. Later interpret-
ers of this text believe that the prohibition is based on a
reluctance to accept the word of gamblers, and pigeon
racers are assumed to be gamblers.

The rock dove lives in treeless places from the Heb-
rides to India. Like its domestic descendants, it is a social
bird. Its nests are clustered in choice locations, and it
feeds in flocks on open ground. Rock doves have been
recorded as breeding in all seasons, and our pigeons

maintain that tradition, reproducing year-around even
in Chicago. The birds produce only one or two offspring
per brood, but more-or-less continuous nesting brings up
their reproductive potential.

Pigeons are models of traditional morality. They are
monogamous, forming durable pairs rather than seeking
new partners for each nesting.

They are also thoroughly modern creatures who
share all their responsibilities. They seek a nest site
together, cooperate in building the nests, split the job of
incubating the eggs — the female usually sits by night,
the male by day — and the job of feeding the young once
they hatch.

From the time the nest site is selected until the
female lays her first egg, she is sexually receptive to other
cocks, and during this period, the male strives to keep
her away from possible rivals. In the terminology of pi-
geon breeders, he drives her, dogging her footsteps,
sometimes literally treading on her tail. If she gets too
close to other males, he may peck at her neck or head,
softly if the perceived threat is not too ominous, vigor-
ously if she gets close to a serious rival. This is another
piece of pigeon behavior which you can see for yourself.

Pigeon eggs hatch after 17 or 18 days of incubation,
and for the first few days of the squabs' lives, they are fed
almost exclusively on pigeon milk, a substance produced
in the crops of both male and female adults.

As the day of hatching approaches, the pituitary
hormone prolactin stimulates the pigeon's crop, the
muscular pouch at the base of the throat where food is
reduced to a digestible form. The walls of the crop thick-
en, and the lobes that will produce the milk enlarge. By
the time the young hatch, the cells on the inner surface
of these lobes are filled with globules of fat. The cells
slough off gradually, releasing a cream-colored substance
with a consistency like milk curds. The milk averages 10
to 20 percent protein and as much as one-third fat.

Pigeon milk is an elegant solution to a problem that
all seed-eating birds face: how do you feed your young
enough to allow them to grow from egg-size to adulthood
in a matter of weeks. Many seed-eaters feed their young
on high-protein insects; the pigeons create their milk.

Parents begin to recognize their young as individ-
uals about the time of fledging, but they will adopt and
care for strange youngsters placed in their nests — even
though their initial alarms at the sight of the foundling
implies that they know it is not their own.

The pigeons of North America are all feral birds,
that is, they are birds who were once domestic — or
whose ancestors were once domestic — but have now
escaped to live a wild life. The first pigeons to reach

North America were carried by the French to Port
Royal, Nova Scotia, in 1606. The English imported
birds to Virginia in 1621 or 1622 and to Massachusetts
by 1942.

Doubtless, escapes from those first dove cotes pro-
vided our first feral birds, and escapes from contem-
porary pigeon breeders still provide some additional
birds to our flocks. In these feral flocks, there is a strong
tendency for the birds to approach the color and pattern
of a wild rock dove. Rock doves are gray with a large
white spot on the lower back just above the rump. Black
tips on the upper wing coverts and secondary flight
feathers show as two dark vertical bands on the folded
wings, and there is another dark band at the tip of the
tail. The iridescent display feathers that encircle the
neck reflect green, bronze, and purple.

The rust-colored or chestnut brown birds, the
white birds, the birds variously pied and speckled, are all
showing souvenirs of their captive ancestors who pre-
sumably belonged to one of the 300 or so breeds that
pigeon fanciers have developed over the centuries.
Some of these breeds were created primarily for racing,
but many of them were bred solely for aesthetic reasons.
A breeder hatched a bird with an odd genetic twist and
decided for those traits. Some of the results are bizarre.

Consider, for example, the pouter pigeons. Pouters
with their bodies held almost upright, unlike the usual
pigeon stance with the body held horizontally. Their
legs are long and skinny. The lower portions of their
bodies — their pelvises and bellies — are almost equally
attenuated. But they can inflate their crops to the size of
a baseball. A standing bird in full pout looks top-heavy,
as if it might fall over at any moment. In previous centu-
ries, pouters were quite popular in England, and in their
profiles, you can see a sort of Regency dandy with tights
on his legs, his middle cinched in with a snug waistcoat,
and huge explosion of lace at his throat.

Or consider the Barbs, large-headed birds whose
eyes are surrounded by flat discs of naked skin. In a full-
face view, the birds' heads look like spools of thread.
And the Archangels, breeds with ten different color va-
rieties; the Jacobins, birds whose head and neck feathers
are fluffed out in a large, loose mane; the Duchess and
the Ptarmigan with their feathered feet; the Frillbacks,
birds whose back feathers and outer wing coverts are
curled at the tips; the Maltese, a bird with long straight
legs, a long neck, and an upright tail. The Maltese looks
like what you would come up with if you tried to make a
chicken with nothing but an imperfect description in a
strange language to guide you.

There are Tiger Swallows whose foot feathering —

the correct term is muffs — are several
inches long. And then there are Sile-
sian Moorheads, Skinnums, Runts,
Oriental Turbits, and Barred Bon-
dinets. There are laughers and
trumpeters whose ancestral coos have
been altered beyond recognition. Per-
haps strangest of all are the Parlor
Tumblers, flightless birds who will
turn somersaults if you touch
them on the head.

Pigeon fanciers, like
dog breeders, have cre-
ated standards for all
these breeds and
they hold peri-
odic shows to
judge their
eff o r t s .
The

Historical Pictures Service, Chicago

biggest of these is the National Pigeon Show, an annual
event that attracts 8,000 to 10,000 birds, and their
breeders, from all over the world.

Jacobins, Duchesses, and the rest are called fancy
pigeons, in distinction to the racing homers. The hom-
ers are bred for winning races, and in them the strength,
speed, stamina, and homing ability of wild pigeons have
been reinforced by generations of selective breeding.

Bob Adolph, president of a downstate pigeon club,
told me that as many as 600,000 people in the U.S. raise
pigeons, and many of these belong to clubs that organize
races. The shortest race in such competitions is 100
miles. Six hundred miles is a common distance, and
some clubs run 1,000-mile races.

Adolph's club uses Tulsa as a starting point for the
600-mile race. Usually, Ozark Air Lines flies the birds to
Tulsa and releases them, preferably early in the morning.
Once the birds are on the wing, the airline calls Adolph
to pass along the time of release. Late in the day, if all
goes well, the tired birds will be back at their home
roosts.

The speeds these racing birds maintain are almost
unbelievable. One of Adolph's birds covered 700 miles
in 13 hours and 10 minutes. According to my calculator,
the bird averaged about 53 miles an hour for the entire
flight.

The process of preparing birds for such achieve-
ments begins when they are two or three months old. At
that age, Adolph take his birds a mile or two from home
and lets them fly back. He gradually increases the dis-
tance, but he doesn't start letting them try the long
flights until they are a year old. After those first short
flights around the roost, the birds need no more practice
at homing. From then on the long flights are only for
conditioning, like the practice runs of a marathoner.

The homing abilities of pigeons are just a special
instance of the navigational skills possessed by many
birds. We know that pigeons use landmarks — including
buildings and other creations of humanity — for orienta-
tion. But a pigeon starting out on a 600-mile race is not
going to get very far relying on landmarks. We know that
pigeons, like other birds, use the sun as a compass, and
that they know how to compensate for the time of day
and the sun's apparent movement through the sky. We
also know that pigeons released on overcast days can im-
mediately orient themselves toward home — unless they
are wearing magnets. William T. Keeton of Cornell
University ran a series of experiments, attaching mag-
nets to some birds and magnetic brass bars to others. The
birds wearing brass usually oriented toward home as soon
as Keeton released them. The magnetized birds scattered
at random. Keeton concluded that the birds were using
the earth's magnetic field to show them the correct
direction.

No recital of the virtues of pigeondom would be
complete without the most extravagently compli-
mentary words ever written about Columba livia. They
come from T. H. White's book The Goshawk, an account
of White's attempt to train a goshawk for falconry. He
trapped pigeons to feed his hawk, and sometimes he re-
sented the cautious way his quarry avoided the trap. But
as he thought more about pigeons, he realized how
admirable they were:

"What a peace-loving but prudent race they were,"
[he wrote] "not predatory and yet not craven. Of all the
birds, I thought, they must be the best citizens, the most
susceptible to the principles of the League of Nations.
They were not hysterical, but able to escape danger. For
panic as an urge to safety they substituted foresight, cun-
ning and equanimity. They were admirable parents and
affectionate lovers. They were hard to kill. It was as if
they possessed the maximum of insight into the basic
wickedness of the world, and the maximum of cir-
cumspection in opposing their own wisdom to evade it.
Grey quakers incessantly caravanning in covered
wagons, through deserts of savages and cannibals, they
loved one another and wisely fled. " FH

Harry Hoogstraal

1917-1986

by Robert Traub and Robert F. Inger

H

b.arry Hoogstraal, a Field Museum benefactor and
an internationally renowned medical zoologist, died in
Cairo, Egypt, on his 69th birthday, February 24 of this
year. In the course of his outstanding career, Dr. Hoog-
straal was elected president of the American Society of
Parasitologists and of the American Society of Tropical
Medicine and Hygiene and was presented with several of
the highest medals of these organizations and other
awards. He also received 25 additional professional hon-
ors, including distinguished service awards from the
Department of the Navy, the Department of Defense,
the Department of State, and the Medal of Honor
for Scientific Research from the Arab Republic
of Egypt.

Dr. Hoogstraal had the signal distinction of being
nominated as a foreign fellow of the Royal Society, but
his death occurred before the election was held. His
bibliography of more than 500 scientific papers, all of
lasting value, includes books, monographs, and other
large works. Dr. Hoogstraal was rightly regarded as the
world's leading authority on ticks and tick-borne dis-
eases, but had contributed significantly to our knowl-
edge of other arthropod-borne infections and their reser-
voirs in nature. The Department of Medical Zoology at
the United States Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3
(namru-3) in Cairo was organized by Dr. Hoostraal in
1949, and under his distinguished leadership this unit
served as a base of operations for studies that were carried
out in many parts of the world.

The ultimate basis of Hoogstraal's incredible suc-
cess in so many aspects of medical ecology lay in his
understanding, appreciation, and application of the fun-
damentals of natural history, a talent whose roots were
deep in his boyhood in Chicago and his association with
the Field Museum, where after haunting the halls and
library, he and his sister Catherine were permitted to

Robert Traub is honorary curator of Siphonaptera, Department of
Entomology, Museum Support Center, Smithsonian Institution;
Robert F. Inger is curator of Amphibians and Reptiles, Field
Museum.

Harry Hoogstraal with "Maid" upon return from Madagascar, 1949.

attend lectures nominally restricted to adults. His first
formal ties with the Museum began when, inspired by his
mentor here, K.P. Schmidt, chief curator of Zoology,
Hoogstraal organized and led groups of fellow students
on a series of biological expeditions to hitherto unstud-
ied parts of Mexico.

From their inception in 1938, these summer ex-
peditions resulted in vast collections of zoological and
botanical specimens, the bulk of which were deposited
in the Field Museum. The Third and Fourth Biological
Expeditions were unique in the period of 1940-41, for
they were carefully planned, staffed, and executed to
provide detailed and accurate studies of the fauna and
flora in various habitats in transects on remote moun-
tains, ranging from the tropical lowlands and semidesert
to areas above the timberline. Those who regarded the
North American mammalian fauna as well known were
surprised by results — even a new species and several new
subspecies of rodents were collected. The intensity and
scope of the field operations are illustrated by the find-
ings of the Fourth Biological Expedition concerning just
one very small group of insects, the Siphonaptera
(fleas). At a time when the entire roster of species of
fleas for the world was estimated as about 1,000 species,

2 new genera and 13 new species of fleas were found on
or near Mt. Tancitaro alone.

Harry Hoogstraal was critically injured in an acci-
dent during the 1940 trip to Mexico, sustaining a broken
back and other serious injuries, followed by osteomyeli-
tis. His courage, determination, and intensive interest
in biology were demonstrated by his return to similar
arduous and hazardous activities in Mexico in 1941, de-
spite the severe bouts of intermittent pain he suffered for
the rest of his life.

During World War II Hoogstraal's excellent back-
ground and training proved eminently useful in U.S.
Army investigations on the systematics and ecology of
mosquitoes in the U.S., New Guinea, and the Philip-
pines. Even under wartime conditions he managed to
collect vertebrates and arthropods of special interest.
While still assigned to the Philippines, Hoogstraal, with
the support of K.P. Schmidt, organized and directed the
Field Museum Philippines Zoological Expedition. He
then took his discharge from the Army in the Philip-
pines and assumed responsibility for negotiations with
the newly established Republic of the Philippines and for
logistics and selection of personnel. This expedition, in
the field in Luzon, Palawan, and Mindanao from April,
1946 to May, 1947, made such important collections of
mammals, amphibians, and reptiles that Field Museum
now has one of the two or three most important collec-
tions of these animals from the Philippines. Indirectly,
the expedition later led through one of the Filipino par-
ticipants, Dr. Dioscoro Rabor, to the acquisition of large
collections of Philippine birds.

After this expedition, Hoogstraal participated in
the University of California/U.S. Navy Africa-
Madagascar Expedition, 1948-49. From his base with
namru-3 he planned and then led many important
collecting trips to various parts of Africa, Arabia, and
Asia Minor, Nepal, Australia, Madagascar, and many
other parts of the world. Unfortunately for those of us
interested in its fauna, he did not work in tropical Amer-
ica. All of these trips yielded important additions to the
collections of the Field Museum, for example, almost
2,000 mammals from Africa, about 2,500 birds from
Egypt, and over 700 reptiles from Madagascar. In all, we
have received over 5,000 birds, 10,000 mammals,
12,000 amphibians and reptiles, and well over 100,000
insects and related organisms from Hoogstraal. These
accessions have added significantly to the international
importance of Field Museum as a center of research.

Harry Hoogstraal was not only a scientist of inter-
national stature, but he actually operated at a global
level, writing thousands of letters annually to so many
10 countries that his mailing list resembled a stamp collec-

tor's guide. He served as an external examiner for gradu-
ate students attending at least eight universities in a total
of seven countries and as a visiting lecturer in five uni-
versities in Egypt, the U.S.A., and the United King-
dom. He was a research associate of the Field Museum,
the Bishop Museum (Honolulu) and the Smithsonian
Institution (National Museum of Natural History).
Hoogstraal rendered a tremendous service to science by
arranging for and editing the translations of more than
2,000 scientific papers and books from the U.S.S.R.,
Eastern Europe, and China, and by distributing them
gratis to scientists everywhere. In this way specialists
had access to important papers that they otherwise may
never have seen or even known about.

It is impossible to do justice to his innumerable and
invaluable contributions to medical entomology and
acarology (the study of mites and ticks), parasitology,
protozoology, virology, rickettsiology, bacteriology,
medical ecology, and epidemiology, but these encompass
far more than formal books and papers. He spent a great
deal of his time inspiring, stimulating, and guiding stu-
dents all over the world, and when their reports and
manuscripts were finished, Harry would critically exam-
ine or revise the papers, recommend specific measures
that might be required to obtain more suitable data and
then help with publication. Because of his erudition,
aptitude, attitudes, integrity, and his standing as an ex-
pert on vector-borne infections, he was a member of
several international commissions investigating prob-
lems in virology and other arthropod-borne infections.
These same attributes led to his being invited to present
lectures or participate in symposia all over Europe,
including the U. S. S. R. , and many countries in Asia and
Africa, as well as the U.S.A.

However, Harry Hoogstraal's reputation was not
just as a model scientist, for he was well known as a con-
noisseur, with particular reference to ballet, works of art,
Egyptian antiquities and ornamental plants, especially
cacti. A recent activity, sculpting, brought much favor-
able comment. His generosity was proverbial and he was
a superb host, not only to his ever-present house guests,
but to friends and colleagues at meetings and during
travel, and also to all the children in the neighborhood.
He was uncle to virtually everyone, but was so well loved
and respected that the parents of 43 children selected
him as godfather.

The measure of Harry Hoogstraal's accomplish-
ments will surely increase with the passage of time, and
at the Field Museum his memory is enshrined in the halls
and in the specimen drawers, as well as in reams of books
and papers in the library and in the minds, souls, and
hearts of his colleagues and friends. ¥H

Wildflowers

of the Chicago Area

Late Summer and Autumn

byFloydA.Swink

photos courtesy of the author except where indicated

In the temperate zone there are two basic times for
increased interest in wildflowers. One is the spring
(treated in the April Bulletin), and the other is late
summer and autumn. Reasons for this include cool
weather, lack of mosquitoes, and return to school, and
thus reductions in vacations away from home.

It may be surprising to learn that many more flowers
in the Chicago area can be seen in bloom on Labor Day
than on any peak day in spring. In fact, the Chicago area
has 27 species of asters and 21 species of goldenrods —
seeing these 48 species alone would make quite a day's
field trip. These belong to the Composite Family, and
members of that family are purposely treated first here in
order to give some idea of the wealth of floristic beauty
contained in this large family.

Blazing Star (Liatris aspera)

Gay Feather (Liatris pycnostachya)

$? Blazing Star (Liatris aspera)
Composite Family (Compositae)

This is found on dry prairie and is also very common in
the sand regions. The common names in Liatris overlap,
but generally the blazing stars have large flower heads
which occur somewhat separately, while the gay feathers
have dense spikes. Examination with a hand lens reveals
a beautiful display of tiny disk florets compacted together
into a head. It is one of the best plants to exhibit the fact
that the flower head is not really a single flower, but
rather a "composite" of a number of small flowers.

"$? Gay Feather (Liatris pycnostachya)
Composite Family (Compositae)

This beautiful flower is often sold as an ornamental by
florists. The genus Liatris is very unusual in that it is one
of the very few plants in which the floral spike has the
oldest flowers at the top rather than at the bottom. This
is a fine prairie plant; its close relative, Liatris spicata,
equally beautiful, is often found in moist habitats.

$? Bur Marigold (Bidens coronata)
Composite Family (Compositae)

The combination of heavily disturbed areas in our sub-
urbs, together with a flat substrate above a clay soil
which is near the surface, gives opportunity for this and
closely related species to grow almost to the exclusion of
everything else. The bur marigolds are often mistaken
for sunflowers, but actually they are "stick-tights." These
are the plants with flat seedlike fruits which have two or
more points at the tip. The two-pointed ones look like

Floyd A. Swink is a taxonomist at Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois, and
has served as lecturer and tour leader of Field Museum botanica! trips in the
Chicago area. His article "Spring Wildflowers of the Chicago Area"
appeared in the April 1986 Bulletin. Mr. Swank is co-author (with
Gerould Wilhelm) of Plants of the Chicago Region, 3rd ed. , 922 pp. ,
published by Morton Arboretum.

11

]oe Pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum)

David M. Walsten

miniature pitchforks. These tips (or awns) have reverse-
pointed barbs which cause them to cling to clothing in
great numbers.

$? Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium purpureum)
Composite Family (Compositae)

This unusual common name is derived from Joe Pye, an
Indian medicineman of New England, who treated
typhus fever with a decoction made from this plant. It is
one of the tallest nonwoody plants in the forest, and is
rather easily identified by the fact that the leaves are
borne in circles (or whorls) of three or more. A close
relative, Eupatorium maculatum, is frequent in
calcareous marshes.

$? White Lettuce (Prenanthes alba)
Composite Family (Compositae)

This plant is also known as rattlesnake root, lion's foot, and
gall-of-the-earth. It is noted for the extreme variability of its
foliage. The plant is related to lettuce and possesses milky
juice. It is a woodland species. The long hairs on the seedlike
fruit are known as the pappus (compare the blow-away seed-
head of the dandelion), and in this species are a deep reddish-
brown.

White Lettuce (Prenanthes alba)

Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale)

$? Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale)
Composite Family (Compositae)

This plant has a preference for moist open ground. In low
pastures it is avoided by livestock because of its bitter taste,
and in such habitats it associates with the blue vervain (Ver-
bena hastata). In spite of its name, the sneezeweed is not a
prime cause of hayfever (neither is goldenrod, in spite of its
reputation) . The bulk of late-summer and autumn pollinosis is
rather caused by inconspicuously flowering plants, especially
ragweeds.

& Iron weed (Vemonia missurica)
Composite Family (Compositae)

This is a very tough plant (perhaps thus giving the name iron-
weed) which is also rejected by grazing livestock, and may
often associate with sneezeweed and blue vervain in the
above-mentioned pastures. Its beautiful flower cluster rivals
the blazing star and gay feather in color, but differs in the shape
of the cluster, which is typically flat-topped rather than
spikelike.

Ironweed (Vernonia missurica)

Old-Field Goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis)

& Old-Field Goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis)
Composite Family (Compositae)

This species has the typical one-sided appearance of the clus-
ter which we normally associate with goldenrods. As its name
implies, it is common in old fields which have been aban-
doned. It is especially beautiful on the foredunes of Lake
Michigan in the Miller area of Gary, Indiana, a few blocks
west of Lake Street. In this habitat the plant associates with
little bluestem grass.

$? Stiff Goldenrod (Solidago rigida)
Composite Family (Compositae)

This is a flat-topped species, occurring commonly in dry
prairie, especially west of Chicago. It consistently associates
with the wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) , prairie dock (Sil-
phium terebinthinaceum) , and yellow coneflower (Ratibida pin-
nate). Sometimes the plants thrive in clay soil, and I once
observed it, along with yellow coneflower, invading an aban-
doned clay tennis court!

Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)

$? Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)
Composite Family (Compositae)

This, our showiest member of the genus, has a marked prefer-
ence for sandy soil. A September hike in the dune country is
accented by the beauty of these plants. Instead of the one-
sided cluster, the flowers aggregate in cylindrical clusters

Stiff Goldenrod (Solidago rigida)

which grow quite erect. Goldenrods in general are fine plants
to find insects. The two commonest, perhaps, are the soldier
beetle (yellow wings with black spots) and the black blister
beetle (entirely black). These are often found feeding in the
flower clusters.

& Broad-Leaved Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis)
Composite Family (Compositae)

This illustrates still another variation in the genus. Here the
flowers are borne in the axils of the large leaves. The stems
tend to be angled and somewhat zigzag. This is a plant of cal-
careous woodland (often where rocky). Its most consistent
associate is the beautiful Short's aster (Aster shortii) . A word of
caution — this goldenrod can become weedy and aggressive in
the wildflower garden.

Broad-Leaved Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis)

John and Kilty Kohoul

$? Ohio Goldenrod (Solidago ohwensis)
Composite Family (Compositae)

The Chicago area is underlain with Niagaran dolomitic lime-
stone. Where the effects of this reach the surface in the form of
limy springs is where the lime-loving Ohio goldenrod is found.
In this choice habitat other fine plants occur, including the
low calamint (Saturejaarkansana), bog lobelia (Lobelia kalmii),
swamp thistle (Cirsium muticum), and marsh betony (Pedicu-
laris lanceolata).

13

Ohio Goldenrod (Solidago ohioensis)

John and Kitty Kohoul

& New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae)
Composite Family (Compositae)

This is one of the native wildflowers found featured in nursery
catalogs. In addition to the violet-purple color, it is also found
in a beautiful rose-colored form. Examination of the upper
part of the stem reveals an attractive set of glandular hairs.
Also, the leaves clasp a portion of the stem rather than being
attached in the typical manner.

Flat-Top Aster (Aster umbellatus)

John and Kitty Kohout

* Flat-Top Aster (Aster umbellatus)
Composite Family (Compositae)

This plant is of interest to entomologists because it is the food
plant for the Harris checkerspot butterfly. It grows in moist
prairies, and especially in thickets in our dune area of Indiana.
Some species of this large genus grow along creeks and un-
doubtedly inspired the lines in the poem "September," by
Helen Hunt Jackson:

The sedges flaunt their harvest in every meadow nook,
And asters by the brookside make asters in the brook.

New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae)

& False Dragonhead (Physostegia virginiana)
Mint Family (Labiatae)

This prairie wildflower is showy enough to be included in nurs-
ery catalog listings. It is also called obedient plant, because (if
the flower age is just right) you can turn the blossom upward,
downward, or sideways, where it will remain, and then turn it
back to its original position, where it will also remain.

False Dragonhead (Physostegia virginiana)

John and Kitty Kohout

Small Fringed Gentian (Gentiana procera)

# Fringed Gentian (Gentiana crinita)
Gentian Family (Gentianaceae)

I can recall a trip on September 19, 1943, which I made to an
area along the borders of Gary and Hammond in Indiana, and
in that one morning seeing thousands and thousands of
fringed gentians (one specimen had 80 blossoms! ) . The area is
now largely built over, but this event will always remain indel-
ible in my memory. William Cullen Bryant wrote concerning
this beautiful plant:

Thou waitest late and comest alone,

When woods are bare and birds have flown,

And the shortening days portend

The aged year is near its end.

"Ss Small Fringed Gentian (Gentiana procera)
Gentian Family (Gentianaceae)

This is a lime-loving species, often associating with the grass

of Parnassus (which see) and the bog lobelia. This plant is very
closely related to the gentian discussed above, and inter-
mediate specimens can be found. Again, in the poem "Sep-
tember" cited above, we read:

The gentian's bluest fringes are curUng in the sun,
In dusky pods the milkweed its hidden silk has spun.

# Prairie Gentian (Gentiana puberula)
Gentian Family (Gentianaceae)

Also known as Gentiana puberulenta, this beautiful flower is
restricted to prairies with a history of fire. In my home town of
Villa Park, Illinois, this was one of the first flowers I ever
learned in walking through the adjacent prairie areas. John
Curtis, writing in The Vegetation of Wisconsin, states that it is
"by all odds the most beautiful member of this famed genus in
Wisconsin and at its best compares favorably with the species
from the high Himalayas that are so prized by rock gardeners."

15

Grass of Parnassus
(Parnassia glauca)

Turtkhead (Chelone glabra)

lb

& Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia glauca)
Saxifrage Family (Saxifragaceae)

The common name is misleading — it is not found on the Gre-
cian Mount Parnassus, and it is not a grass. It blooms late,
often in October, in limy springy areas, consistently associat-
ing with the bog lobelia. The petals possess greenish-gold
veins, and the flowers have false stamens (or staminodia),
which are divided into three parts but do not shed pollen. In
addition, there are true stamens and a very interesting pistil in
the center.

# Turtlehead (Chelone glabra)
Figwort Family (Scrophulariaceae)

Because the Chicago area is largely underlain with Niagaran
dolomitic limestone, there are lots of springy areas with alka-
line water. Some of these areas are called fens. In this type of
habitat occurs this flower, which, with a little imagination,
looks like the head of a turtle. Interestingly, the species in our
area has flowers which are usually tipped with green, but the
same species in the east often has pink tips to the flowers.
Wherever this plant is found, look in the vicinity for the beau-
tiful Baltimore butterfly.

# Nodding Wild Onion (Allium cemuwn)
Lily Family (Liliaceae)

Legend has it that the Chicago River got its name from the
Indian name for this plant, which apparently grew commonly
in the area. It does have the strong odor similar to that of many
cultivated vegetables in the genus Allium — leek, onion, gar-
lic, shallot, Welsh onion, chives, etc. We have a number of
local AUium species, including the rank-smelling wild leek,
which plant is responsible for the "ramp" festivals in the Great
Smok-, Mountains.

Nodding Wild Onion (Allium cernuum)

#? Ladies' Tresses (Spiranthes cemua)
Orchid Family (Orchidaceae)

While most orchids bloom in our area in spring and summer,
this is one that is often seen still flowering in autumn. In many
areas it is also our commonest orchid, sometimes being
observed in prairie remnants along railroad tracks. It is especi-
ally beautiful at the Illinois Beach State Park near Zion. See
the April issue of the Bulletin for the locations of this park and
some of our other interesting botanical areas.

Ladies' Tresses
(Spiranthes cernua)

Slender Ladies' Tresses
(Spiranthes lacera)

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& Slender Ladies' Tresses (Spiranthes lacera)
Orchid Family (Orchidaceae)

A distinguished botanist has pointed out that these are ladies'
tresses which happen to be slender, rather than tresses which
belong to slender ladies. A glance at the photographs will
show the marked difference between these two Spiranthes
species.

& Winged Pigweed (Cycloloma atripUcifolium)
Goosefoot Family (Chenopodiaceae)

Out on the Great Plains, where tumbleweeds are common,
there are great open spaces where tumbleweeds can travel for
great distances. This introduction from the west has its move-
ments quite limited here due to fences and many other barri-
ers. However, it fulfills the tumbleweed image because of its
globular shape and shallow root system. It is included here,
however, primarily because of its beautiful autumn color. The
plant can be best sought in the Hammond-Gary area of Indi-
ana, in sandy areas of very recent disturbance. October 15 is an
ideal date to see it at its best.

# Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Madder Family (Rubiaceae)

Normally an article of this type would consider only
herbaceous plants, but the shrubby buttonbush has beautiful
flowers in its own right. They are often called "honey-balls"
because of the attractiveness of the white flower clusters to
honeybees. The plant often dominates to the point where
local areas are known as buttonbush marshes.

Winged Pigweed (Cycloloma atriplicifolium)

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

17

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

David M. Walsten

#? Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Lobelia Family (Lobeliaceae)

This is one of the most brilliant wildflowers of America. A
color-film photo cannot really do justice to the shining bril-
liance of this red flower. A good place to look for it is in late
summer, in the Kankakee River valley of northern Indiana,
where many drainage ditches have been constructed along the
roads; the plant delights to grow in these ditches.

# Orange Fringed Orchid (Habenaria ciliaris)
Orchid Family (Orchidaceae)

It would be hard to find a native wildflower more bizarre (and

(V re beautiful) than this plant. Its brilliant orange blossoms

resemble witches' heads to a remarkable degree. Pepoon, in

his Flora of the Chicago Region, alluded to this fact with pictures
and text on pages 235, 236, and 237. Unfortunately, the plant
is now extremely rare in the Chicago region; it reaches its peak
of bloom the first week of August.

Literary-minded readers will want the other verses of Helen

Hunt Jackson's poem "September":

The goldenrod is yellow, the com is turning brown,
The trees in apple orchards with fruit are bending down.

From dewy lanes at morning the grapes' sweet odors rise,
At noon the roads all flutter with yellow butterflies.

B31 all these lovely tokens September days are here,

With summer's best of weather and autumn's best of cheer.

Orange-Fringed Orchid (Habenaria ciliaris)

Miner W. Bruce

Reindeer Herder; Showman, and Collector
For the Field Columbian Museum

by James W. VanStone
Curator of North American Archaeology and Ethnology

I

n 1892 Domesticated Reindeer were brought from

northeastern Siberia to the Port Clarence area on Sew-
ard Peninsula, Alaska (see map) through the joint
efforts of the Rev. Sheldon Jackson, first General Agent
of Education in Alaska and a Presbyterian missionary,
and Captain Michael A. Healy of the U.S. Revenue
Marine Service. This program, supported by the U.S.
Bureau of Education, was intended to provide Alaskan

Eskimos with a new source of food. During the second
half of the nineteenth century, commercial interests had
indulged in unrestricted killing of whales, walrus, and
seals, so these traditional food sources had suffered a
serious decline. There was also a small market for the
meat and skins of the reindeer and it was hoped that the
Eskimos could derive a cash income from their sale.

The first deer were landed by the U.S. Revenue

Reindeer herders at Port Clarence. The man at the right may be Miner Bruce.

19

Point Barrow

Arctic Ocean

100 km

J&&^

-\

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20

Cutter Bear in July, 1982 on the north shore of Port
Clarence at a place which Jackson had named the Teller
Reindeer Station after Henry M. Teller. A U.S. senator,
Teller had helped steer appropriations for the project
through Congress. Chukchi herders were brought from
Siberia to teach Eskimos the techniques of close herding
and the proper methods of caring for the animals.

At the opening of the station, Miner W. Bruce, a
former journalist from Nebraska, was appointed superin-
tendent. He and one assistant had charge of four Chuk-
chi herders, an equal number of Eskimo apprentices, and
approximately 175 deer. The two men were also ex-
pected to double as schoolteachers. Bruce's job was a
formidable one since he had no training for either posi-
tion and his inability to speak either the Eskimo or
Chukchi language made communication with those he
was supposed to teach extremely difficult and uncertain.

Bruce's first annual report to Jackson seems to indi-
cate that the initial year went smoothly enough and all
concerned learned a great deal about the care and main-
tenance of reindeer. Apparently, however, the superin-
tendent, who had been recommended for the job by
Healy, did not get along well with him. Therefore, Healy
made the accusation that Bruce, through the captain of a
chartered ship sent to the coast of Siberia to obtain deer,
had traded five gallons of whiskey for some animals in
July, 1893 at the beginning of the second season. Al-
though these charges were denied, Healy was successful
in persuading Jackson to fire both Bruce and his assistant.

Rev. Sheldon Jackson

Bruce had made matters worse for himself by taking
11 Port Clarence Eskimos and a collection of sleds, dogs,
kayaks, and other artifacts to Chicago for exhibition at
the World's Columbian Exposition in the summer of
1893. Healy wrote to Sheldon Jackson on July 30, 1893:

Had I been in Port Clarence when [Bruce] left
there I never would have allowed him to take those na-
tives away, and I hope someone will be thoughtful
enough to make him file a bond for their keep while
away and to return them to their homes. To have the
reindeer project become the father of a Dime Museum is
to me a cause of mortification.

When the world's fair closed, Bruce took his collec-
tion and Eskimo entourage to New York City, where
they performed for two weeks at Madison Square Gar-
den, and to Washington, D.C. , where they appeared
before the House of Representatives, had tea at the
White House with Mrs. Grover Cleveland, and were
the object of considerable interest at the Smithsonian
Institution.

The Field Columbian Museum, subsequently re-
named Field Museum of Natural History, had been
established in 1893 to house the natural history collec-

tions exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition.
Franz Boas was the first curator of anthropology, and
F.J.V. Skiff the first director. Bruce called at the Museum
early in 1894 before taking his Eskimo show on the road
and, since Skiff was away, met with Boas. He offered to
sell the Museum an ethnographic collection from Port
Clarence. Boas considered the collection an excellent
one and recommended it be purchased for the asking
price, $550. The collection was acquired on October 31,
1894 and cataloged as accession 96.

Meanwhile, William H. Holmes had replaced Boas
as curator, and on May 21, 1894, Holmes received a
letter from Bruce indicating that the latter expected to
sail from Puget Sound or San Francisco about June 10 for
a second trip to Alaska. He hoped to spend some time on
the Siberian shore before crossing the Bering Sea to
Kotzebue Sound and perhaps proceeding as far north as
Point Barrow. Bruce mentioned that he had written
Boas about making a collection for the Museum and pre-
sumed that Skiff and Boas had conferred about the mat-
ter. He inquired if Holmes had made up his mind about
what material he wanted.

Captain Michael A. Healy

/

Hoisting a reindeer aboard the Bear.

Less than a month later, apparently receiving no
reply from Holmes, Bruce wrote directly to Skiff, ex-
panding in some detail on his proposal to collect for the
Museum.

I propose chartering a sailing vessel for a four
month cruise, stopping first at a point on the Siberian
side near Bering Straits, following along the coast and
into the interior, spending probably, two months in that
territory, then, crossing over to the Alaska side and
spending a month there, the ship returning to San Fran-
cisco and I remaining in the country, leaving a point
near Port Clarence about the 1st of March and trading
up the Yukon River, and coming out near Juno [sic]
Alaska in the fall of 1895.

I have examined your collection from the Arctic
Country very closely and find that you have nothing
from Siberia or the Interior of Arctic Alaska. All of this
territory 1 propose to cover has not, as yet, been visited

21

with a view to making a collection and I believe I will be
able to secure for you such a collection that will be prised
[sic] by the Museum and a credit to myself.

I will furnish you with the collection if you will
advance me a certain amount of money which I will
invest in such goods as will be best adapted to trading for
such articles as you want which sum shall be one third of
the amount I am to receive, the balance to be paid to me
when you receive my shipment. Or, in other words, I am
to receive twice the amount I pay for the same.

I may, perhaps, be pardoned for suggesting that my
knowledge of the Eskimo language and a pretty good
knowledge of the country 1 expect to visit obtained from
nearly five years traveling in Alaska pretty well equips
me for the work.

Bruce exaggerated his Alaskan experience and gave lit-
tle indication that he understood the problems of travel
in the interior. Nevertheless, four days later, perhaps
after some prodding by Skiff, Holmes informed the
director that he considered the opportunity provided by
Briice's proposed trip to be a good one and went on to
outline the type of material he desired: specifically, ob-
jects for "two museum groups, one illustrating the peo-
ples of Arctic Siberia and the other those of Arctic
North America."

As a result of this communication, Skiff wrote to
Bruce with a formal proposal to retain the latter's ser-
vices as a collector for the Field Columbian Museum.

Upon the recommendation of Prof. Holmes,
Director of the Department of Anthropology, the Ex-
ecutive Committee of the Board of Trustees of this
Museum has authorized me to enter into a contract with
you as follows: You are to represent the Museum in the
collection of certain objects, articles, and materials
generally illustrating the peoples of Arctic Siberia and
Arctic North America. For this purpose, the Museum
remits to you herewith exchange for the sum of Five
Hundred Dollars ($500), which amount you are to ex-
pend in the purchase of articles attractive and interest-
ing to the tribes of the North, and which you will em-
ploy in exchange for those objects, articles, and services
which constitute the result of your mission. Having
secured such ethnological collections and material, the
same is to be delivered into the possession of the
Museum, and upon the receipt, examination and
approval of the same by Prof. Holmes, the Museum will
then pay you in cash or by exchange, the further sum of
One Thousand Dollars ($1,000).

Four days later Holmes himself wrote to Bruce, not-
ing that his approval to collect for the Museum had been
approved and going on to provide Bruce with detailed
in ructions concerning the kinds of materials he desired
the Ltrer to obtain.

Two central ideas are to be kept in view: I wish to
set up two Ethnic Groups, one representing the Eskimo
of North Eastern Siberia and the other the Eskimos of
Northern Alaska, they are intended primarily to illus-
trate the peoples. I hope you will observe the people as
they live and act and group themselves so as to select
some episode that will give a somewhat comprehensive
idea of their appearance, character, habits, etc.

For the Siberian Group — supposing you select the
one mentioned by me — there ought to be two mature
reindeer and one young one, a man, a woman, one
young girl, a young man or both, and two children. The
costumes of all should be perfect and each should have
about him such articles, utensils, weapons, playthings,
pets, etc. , as would be appropriate and tend to make the
group interesting. The episode illustrated might be the
departure for a journey, welcoming or saying farewell to
a guest; the arrival of a hunter with game — a bear, seal or
deer — on his sledge. We want enough of some animated
scene to fill a case, say 10 x 16 feet in horizontal
dimensions.

The Alaskan group should represent a different
episode worked out in a similar way, a full team of dogs
being necessary to the production of a striking presenta-
tion of the subject discussed here. We need especially
photographs of groups and full figures as well as faces
for detail. Nothing should be missing from harness or
costume. Possibly a Kyak [sic] scene might be made
effective.

Beside the material for these groups we want all
that you may be able to get to illustrate the people and
their arts and industries. Take such topics as the domes-
tic arts, firemaking, wood and ivory-carving, hunting,
fishing, skin dressing, basket-making, sewing, the
toilet, etc. Perhaps I can set up the figure of a man mak-
ing fire with a drill, a woman carrying her child, etc.

Full notes or a fully elaborated article ought to be
furnished. Boats and sledges are always interesting.

Bruce was unable to reach Siberia because of bad
weather, and, not surprisingly, he was also forced to
abandon his proposed trip into the interior. It is clear
that, having only limited experience in one location in
Alaska, he greatly underestimated the distances he
would have to travel to fulfill his original plan as well as
the difficulties of obtaining transportation. It is not clear
where Bruce spent the winter of 1894-95, but on
November 16, 1894, he wrote Skiff indicating his inten-
tion of extending his collecting activities through the
following summer. Presumably he expended much of the
summer of 1894 attempting to reach the Siberian
mainland.

It was a year before Skiff heard from Bruce again,
but then he learned that a collection had been made for
the Museum primarily, if not entirely, in the Kotzebue

Diorama in the old Hall 10 utilizing Eskimo artifacts and dogs collected by Miner Bruce.

Sound region and that it was in storage in Atlanta. Bruce
expected to use the artifacts in connection with another
exhibition of Eskimos he had brought south with him
and then deliver them to the Museum in Chicago. He
also brought five dogs with him for the exhibit, and they
were being held temporarily at the zoo in Washington,
D.C. Bruce also spoke of organizing another trip the fol-
lowing year, at which time he would have "a ship of my
own" and would visit northeastern Siberia. He seemed
particularly anxious to justify his traveling exhibition to
Skiff who, in fact, had expressed no particular interest
in it.

I suppose you know that my object in bringing the
Eskimo to the United States was not for exhibition pur-
poses but to assist me in my effort with the Congress to
secure an appropriation for the purchase of reindeer in
Siberia and bring them among our Eskimo, thus furnish-
ing them food and clothing. Two years ago I was able to
secure an appropriation for this purpose and I expect to
be as successful this time.

It is noteworthy that Bruce makes no mention of
Sheldon Jackson and obviously wished to leave the
impression that the reindeer program was his own
responsibility. Not surprisingly, perhaps, there is no
mention anywhere in the Museum's correspondence
with Bruce referring to his service as superintendent of

the Teller Reindeer Station or to the fact that he was
dismissed by Jackson.

Bruce believed that the collection he had made for
Field Museum was an intergral part of his exhibition and
hoped that Skiff would have no objections. None were
raised, and through the winter and spring of 1896 the
exhibition proceeded from Atlanta to Louisville and
then to New Albany, Indiana, from which place Bruce
expected to bring the collection to Chicago in early
May, along with the five dogs that were to be installed in
the new exhibit as proposed by Holmes (two of the dogs
can still be seen in the Maritime Peoples hall).

The Kotzebue Sound collection was apparently
received by Field Museum on May 6, 1896 (accession
259), and in a letter to Skiff written the same day, Bruce
made excuses for his failure to collect in Siberia, stress-
ing his intention of reaching that area during the coming
summer. Concerning the collection he did make, how-
ever, he was extremely enthusiastic.

In the matter of the collection made in Arctic
Alaska which I have this day delivered to your Museum,
I believe I am safe in saying it embraces a large number of
articles and materials illustrating the people of that
region and embraces many objects not heretofore
obtained by you, and in number it is about four times
greater than that which I turned over to your Museum
in 1894.

23

Woman's summer parka made from skins of the ground squirrel; collected try Miner Bruce in Kotzebue Sound.

Actually, the Kotzebue Sound collection is slightly less
than twice as large as the one obtained at Port Clarence.

In spite of the collector's enthusiasm for his own
collection, the Museum appears to have been less than
completely satisfied. Holmes felt that he had received
only about one-third of the artifacts necessary for his
proposed exhibit, and he was particularly concerned
about the absence of material from Siberia. Although he
believed Bruce had done his best and "as much as any
man could have done," the collection as received was
worth "not more than half the sum mentioned in the
original agreement." Since Bruce — who, it will be recal-
led, had already received an advance of $500 — proposed
another expedition to secure the rest of the material
agreed upon, Holmes recommended a second advance of
$500, with the remaining $500 to be paid when the
agreement was fulfilled to the Museum's satisfaction.
The director agreed to this arrangement and informed
Bruce.

Miner Bruce returned in the summers of 1896 and
1897 to Alaska, where he made collections for the
Smithsonian Institution, the Carnegie Museum of Nat-
ural History in Pittsburgh, and perhaps other institu-
tions. There was no further correspondence with Field
Museum for almost two years. Meanwhile, Holmes
resigned the curatorship in late 1896, and his successor
was George A. Dorsey, who had been appointed assis-
tant curator the previous year. In 1897 Bruce made
another collection for the Museum consisting of approx-
imately 200 items from various locations in Alaska and
Siberia (accession 546), which Dorsey considered to be
"of great ethnological interest." In addition, he provided
Eskimos who served as models for plaster molds suf-
ficient for seven manikins and helped Dorsey identify
many objects in the Museum's Eskimo collections. For
these services, Dorsey recommended that Bruce be paid
the remaining $500 called for in the old contract, a
recommendation the Museum's administration
approved. FH

NOTE

This article is adapted from J. VanStone, "The Bruce Collec-
tion of Eskimo Material Culture from Port Clarence, Alaska,"
Fieldiana: Anthropology, vol. 67, 1976 and "The Bruce Collec-
tion of Eskimo Material Culture from Kotzebue Sound, Alas-
ka," Fieldiana: Anthropology, new series no. 1, 1980. Most of
the information was obtained from the archives and corres-
pondence files of the Department of Anthropology. For addi-
tional details concerning the importation of domesticated
reindeer to Alaska from Siberia, see D.J. Ray, The Eskimos
of Bering Strait, 1650-1898, University of Washington
Press, 1975.

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make a significant gift a little at a time, or, to give
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old, old life insurance policy that has been in your
lock box, lying fallow.

You may choose to give a paid-up policy, a new
policy, or only the dividends on an existing policy.
No matter which you choose, you will find income
tax deduction benefits for yourself, and, you will
help further the work of Field Museum as well.

Explore the many giving possibilities in your
life insurance. The complimentary booklet offered
below will be helpful as you consider the most effec-
tive way to meet your personal giving goals. Send for
your free copy today!

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To: Clifford Buzard

Planned Giving Officer
Field Museum of Natural History
Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60605-2490

□ Please send me a complimentary copy of "Giving through
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Tours for Members

English Homes and Country Tour

July 1—15
price $2,725 (double occupancy)

2o

The "treasure houses" of Britain are best experienced within
their architectural context and amidst their natural landscapes.
Here we travel the paths of history and culture in the most
immediate sense. But unlike most tours that rush you around
for a cursory introduction, Field Museum is offering the dis-
criminating traveler an opportunity to get to the heart of the
English people and live in the English countryside as they do.
The English are a thoroughly hospitable people, making you
feel truly welcome as they take you into their comfortable
homes as a guest of special importance. Past travelers have
made lasting friendships with their hosts, returning again and
again, even reciprocating the welcome as their English friends
visited here. This view of a remarkable country is rare indeed,
and especially relaxing since you stay several days in one home
instead of spending your time on a bus. We stay in the south-
eastern counties where charming thatched villages comple-
ment vast cathedrals and living hedgerows set off lush royal
gardens. Your hosts and hostesses include baronets, generals,
company directors, doctors, members of Parliament, and
landowners. Their homes range from mansions to more mod-
est yet extremely comfortable cottages. Accommodations in-
clude use of a private bathroom.

Come and visit this 'tied to the past' yet forward-looking
and charming country. Inquire into the customs and foibles of
the people as you tour with not only a local guide, but with a
scholar from Field Museum, who was born and raised in this
remarkable country. Dr. Peter Crane got his Ph.D. in botany at
the University of Reading. He is an associate curator in the
Department of Geology at Field Museum and was recognized
as one of ten "Outstanding Young Citizens" by the Chicago
Junior Association of Commerce and Industry in 1985. He is
excited about this unusual travel opportunity in his native
country and invites you to join him and his countrymen in an
exploration of English Homes and Country.

July 1. Depart Chicago O'Hare for Heathrow.

July 2. Arrive Heathrow. Met by tour director; board lux-
ury coach for drive to Canterbury. Meet hostesses and drive to
their homes to unpack and freshen up before lunch. At leisure
for the rest of the day. In the evening dinner with hostesses.

July 3. Canterbury. A day in and around Canterbury. First
a tour of the cathedral personally introduced by a canon from
the cathedral staff, followed by a wander in Canterbury before
lunch. After lunch further time to wander in Canterbury before
visiting the village of Fordwich, which has the oldest town hall
in England. Dinner in a private house.

July 4. South Kent. Drive south to the Cinque Port of Rye
with its steep cobbled streets and period houses, and the world
famous Mermaid Pub. A short drive to Bodiam Castle, built in
1386 to defend the Rother Valley from incursions by the
French, followed by lunch at the Castle Pub. Another short
drive to Great Dixter, a house built about 1450 (not long after
Chaucer) and which now has a lovely garden containing a

wide variety of unusual and interesting plants. Dinner in a pri-
vate house.

July5. Mid-Kent. After breakfast a leisurely drive to Leeds
Castle for a private tour of what was described by Lord Conway
as the "loveliest castle in the world." On through typical Kent
countryside to Sissinghurst Castle, with its well-known and
very beautiful garden. After lunch in the Castle restaurant, a
short drive to Godinton Park for a private visit to this mansion
with its fine Stuart panelling, carving, and magnificent furni-
ture and porcelain. Dinner with hostesses.

July 6. Travel To Cambridge. Goodbye to the Canterbury
hostesses. A short drive to the great Norman cathedral at
Rochester in the heart of Dickens country where those who
wish may attend a service. Then by tunnel under the River
Thames northward into the county of Essex for lunch in a
Tudor pub. After lunch a drive through the changing East
Anglian countryside to meet and dine with Cambridge
hostesses.

July 7. Suffolk. A day in Suffolk countryside immortalized
by artist John Constable. First to Newmarket, home of the
Sport of Kings, and center of the racing industry for a private
tour of the Gallops, Tattersalls Selling Ring and Jockey Club for
sherry. Lunch in Newmarket before driving to the medieval
town of Bury St. Edmunds with its beautiful cathedral. In the
late afternoon a short drive to Lavenham with time to explore
the Guildhall dating from the 1520s, and the most splendid of
all "Wool" churches before dining in one of the oldest build-
ings in Lavenham, the famous Swan Hotel.

July 8. Cambridge. A day in and around Cambridge, first
visiting historic colleges and churches including Kings College
Chapel, followed by a visit to the American Military Cemetery
at Madingley which commemorates those Americans who
died in northwest Europe in World War II. Lunch at a private
house close to Cambridge. The afternoon in Cambridge explor-
ing the city before dining with hostesses.

July 9. Travel To Chichester. After bidding farewell to
Cambridge hostesses a drive south to West Sussex bypassing
London to the west, and stopping for a pub lunch on the way.
In the afternoon visit the Royal Horticultural Society Gardens
at Wisley. These world-famous gardens contain an extra-
ordinary collection of plants, flowers, trees, and shrubs, and
attract visits by horticulturists from all over the world. A furth-
er journey to meet and later dine with hostesses.
July 10. Chichester. First to Bosham to visit Trinity Church
of King Canute fame before going to Chichester for a stroll
through the Pallants to the Hospice of St. Mary, then lunch in
the Dolphin and Anchor. A Private tour of the Cathedral and
free time to explore before having supper at the Festival
Theatre Restaurant and attending a performance at the theatre.
July 11. Winchester. A drive west, skirting Portsmouth
and Southampton, to Broadlands, home of the late Lord
Mountbatten. A short drive to Winchester for lunch in the

Wessex Hotel before visiting the cathedral and wandering in its
environs. Return to Chichester through the rolling countryside
of West Sussex. Dinner with Hostesses.

July 12. Mid-Sussex. Visit Boxgrove Priory which dates
from the 12th century. A short drive to the thatched village of
Amberley which nestles at the foot of the Downs. A pub lunch.
Then to Petworth, a magnificent late 17th-century house
which includes among its treasures works by Van Dyke and
Turner, and a Grinling Gibbons room. A private dinner at
Goodwood House followed by a tour of this historic home of
the Dukes of Richmond and Gordon.

July 13. Travel to London. Goodbye to Chichester hostes-
ses, and drive to London for an orientation tour through the
West End and City before arriving at the Mandeville Hotel and
settling in there before lunch. Free afternoon and evening.
July 14. London. Free day and evening in London. The
booklet on London in the personal folders given to each guest
on arrival in England lists places of interest, how to get there
and times of opening. A private tour of the Palace of West-
minster, provided the Houses of Parliament are not in recess,
will be arranged for those who wish.

July 15. Tour Ends. Those returning home will be escorted
to London Heathrow by our tour director. Arrive Chicago
O'Hare.

Alaska

$4,885
July 2-16

Experience the Great Land. Descriptions of Alaska are filled
with superlatives — a state more than twice the size of Texas
with a population less than that of Denver, 33,000 miles of
coastline, 119 million acres of forest, 14 of the highest peaks in
the United States culminating in Mt. Denali (formerly Mt.
McKinley), at 20,320 feet.

Our travels will be by plane, train, bus, boat, and foot —
whatever best enhances our experience. Emphasis will be on
the land, its history, its wildlife. Interpretation combined with
direct observation will provide an enjoyment and quality of
experience unavailable to the casual visitor. Whatever your
interest in natural history — marine mammals, birding, moun-
tains, photography, flowers, forests, glaciers, rivers — this tour
will show you Alaska in all its diversity and splendor.

Dr. David Willard, manager of Field Museum's bird and
mammal collections, will be tour leader. He received his Ph.D.
in Biology at Princeton University, where he was acting cura-
tor of Princeton Museum of Ornithology. He has been on a
number of research expeditions for Field Museum.
July 2. Fly Chicago to Sitka; welcome dinner; overnight
Sitka Sheffield Hotel.

July 3. Breakfast at hotel; morning city tour with stop at
Raptor Center; lunch; late afternoon marine wildlife trip on
private yacht Taku Queen; weather permitting, cruise to St.
Lazaria National Wildlife Refuge; dinner on board; overnight
Sitka Sheffield Hotel.

July 4. Breakfast at hotel; morning flight to Juneau;
Mendenhall River Float Trip with lunch along the river; tour
Mendenhall Wetlands; late afternoon options available: flight-
seeing, helicopter onto Mendenhall Glacier or a guided hike;
evening outdoor salmon bake; overnight Sheffield Hotel
Juneau.

July 5. Breakfast at hotel; morning flight to Glacier Bay;
Glacier Bay cruise aboard the MV Glacier Bay Explorer; over-
night on board the Explorer; lunch and dinner on board
Explorer.

July 6. Cruising Glacier Bay in morning; return to Glacier
Bay Lodge for lunch; afternoon flight to Juneau and on to Fair-
banks. Dinner and overnight at Fairbanks Inn.

July 7. Breakfast at hotel; Alaska Railroad to Denali Na-
tional Park; lunch at the Park entrance; afternoon free to see
park service exhibits, slide shows and films; salmon bake din-
ner; overnight McKinley Chalets.

July 8. Early morning breakfast at the chalets; 6 a.m. depar-
ture by private bus through Denali National Park for wildlife
viewing; arrive Kantishna Roadhouse and Bushcamp for
lunch; tour of Kantishna by local homesteaders; wildlife tour
exiting the park; return to chalets in early evening for dinner
and overnight.

July 9. Breakfast and lunch at the chalets; chance to sleep in
after long prior day; afternoon Alaska Railroad to Anchorage;
dinner and overnight Sheraton Hotel.

July 10. Breakfast at hotel; late morning departure for Pott-
ers Marsh birding and on to Portage Glacier; Portage River
Float Trip; lunch at the Portage Glacier Lodge; return to
Anchorage for overnight at the Sheraton.

July 11. Breakfast and lunch on own; morning free for op-
tional activities, shopping, visit to the museum, etc.; afternoon
Eagle River Float Trip with dinner and fireworks along the
river; overnight Sheraton.

July 12. Breakfast at the hotel; fly Anchorage to St. George

Island, with lunch en route; dinner and overnight at St. George

Hotel.

July 13, 14. At St. George rookeries; breakfast and dinner at

the hotel; lunch in the field. An evening gathering in the home

of one of the Aleut community leaders.

July 15. Breakfast at St. George Hotel; fly St. George to
Anchorage, arriving late afternoon; final group dinner and
slide show; overnight Sheraton Hotel.

July 16. Breakfast at hotel; fly Anchorage to Chicago.

For reservations, call or write Dorothy Roder (322-8862), Tours Manager, Field Museum,
Roosevelt Rd. at Lake Shore Dr. , Chicago, 1160605

Field Museum of Natural History
Membership Department
Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605-2499

I

KISS HARITA MAXFY
7411 NORTH GREENVIEW
CHICAGO IL 63626

\

(■

FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY BULLETIN

September 1986

jsic for Homemade Instrui

September 20, 21
Steven Ivcich, the Fantastic Mime

September 27
See pages 3, 4

Field Museum
of Natural History
Bulletin

Published by

Field Museum of Natural History

Founded 1893

President: Willard L. Boyd

Editor! Designer: David M. Walsten
Production Liaison: Pamela Steams
Staff Photographer: Ron Testa

Board of Trustees

Richard M. Jones,

Chairman
Mrs. T. Stanion Armour
George R. Baker
Robert O. Bass
Gordon Bent
Mrs. Philip D. Block UI
Willard L. Boyd
Robert D. Cadieux
Henry T. Chandler
Worley H. Clark
Frank W. Considine
Stanton R. Cook
William R. Dickinson, Jr.
Thomas E. Donnelley II
Thomas J. Eyerman
Marshall Field
Ronald J. Gidwitz
Clarence E. Johnson
John James Kinsella
Hugo J. Melvoin
Leo F. Mullin
Earl L. Neal
James J. O'Connor
Robert A. Pritzker
James H. Ransom
John S. Runnells
Patrick G. Ryan
William L. Searle
Mrs. Malcolm N. Smith
Robert H. Strotz
Mrs. Theodore D. Tieken
E. Leland Webber
Blaine J. Yarrington

Life Trustees

Harry O. Bercher
Bowen Blair
Mrs. Edwin J. DeCosta
Clifford C.Gregg
William V. Kahler
William H. Mitchell
Edward Byron Smith
John W. Sullivan
J. Howard Wood

CONTENTS

September 1986
Volume 57, Number 8

September Events at Field Museum

Discovering Chicago's Dialects

by Michael I. Miller

A Sylvan Retreat: Chicago's Wooded Island 12

by Jerry Sullivan

Millipede Hording 24

by Joseph Hannibal and Cassandra Talerko

Field Museum Tours

26

COVER

Indiana Dunes State Park, little more than an hour from
Chicago 's Loop by train, is a superb hiking area for natu-
ralists. Lush deciduous and evergreen forests, bogs, dune-
land, and a breathtaking sweep of sandy beach are to be
found in this well-maintained park along Lake Michigan 's
southern tip. Photo by Dave Walsten.

Field Museum offers three different environmental field
trips this fall to the Indiana Dunes. Check your Fall Field
Trip brochure for trip descriptions and dates, or call (312)
322-8855 for more information.

Volunteer Opportunity

Do you find fossils fascinating? Are you interested in
invertebrates? Or is plant care more pleasing? If you
can give one day a week for a year, you can expand your
knowledge and share your skills as a volunteer in one of
Field Museum's "behind-the-scenes" departments.
Are you more of a "people" person? Our Education
volunteers help schoolchildren and the general public
learn about natural history through tours and pro-
grams. Weekend Education volunteers give two
weekend days per month. For more information,
please contact Ellen Zebrun, Volunteer Coordinator,
at (312) 922-9410, extension 360.

Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin (USPS 898-940) is published monthly, except combined July/August issue, by Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive.
Chicago, IL 60605-2496 © 1986 Field Museum of Natural History. Subscriptions: $6.00 annually. $3.00 for schools. Museum membership includes Bulletin subscription. Opinions expressed by
authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policy of Field Museum. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. Museum phone: (312) 922-9410. Notification of address change should
include address label and be >ent to Membership Department. Postmaster: Please send form 3579 to Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496.
k<;n- nnis-n7m <--, i .-Ikc wwtua «*u •» chi«« iti;nn;c

"\

First Edition

Field Museum Christmas Cards

Featuring artwork
by Chicago artist
Mark McMahon

20 box assortment
includes 5 each
of 4 images

ich,

pm

$10.00 per box
($9.00 members*)

September 27, 1:00-3:00 pm

Explore the world at the tip of your nose. Smell
your way through a display of fragrant plants. Play
a "smelly" game using only your sense of smell to
identify hidden objects. Discover why some animals
have such unusual noses and make a distinctive ani-
mal nose to wear home.

Jung
-communication through body movements and fa-
cial expressions. Through your sense of sight explore
all the senses with "Mr. Blank," one of the characters
you will meet through mime Steven Ivcich. Learn to
create the mime illusions of "the wall," "leaning on a
fence," and "pulling a rope."

Steven Ivcich is presented through Young Audi-
ences of Chicago.

CONTINUED -»

Field

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Publishi

Field ]
Founde

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learn about natural history through tours and pro-
grams. Weekend Education volunteers give two
weekend days per month. For more information,
please contact Ellen Zebrun, Volunteer Coordinator,
at (312) 922-9410, extension 360.

Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin (USPS 898-940) is published monthly, except combined July/ August issue, by Field Museum of Natural History. Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive.
Chicago, IL 60605 -244fs. © 1986 Field Museum of Natural History. Subscriptions: $6.00 annually. $3.00 for schools. Museum membership includes Bulletin subscription. Opinions expressed by
authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policy of Field Museum. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. Museum phone: (312) 922-9410. Notification of address change should
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T

Events

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"X

Come to Your Senses
Weekends in September

A month-long celebration of your senses. Each week
a different sense is explored through performance,
demonstration, and participatory activitiesj^all
(312) 322-8854 for details. All activities ar^
Museum admission.

ree with

Eye-See

Saturday, Sept. 6, 2:00 pm
Stanley Field Hall

Steven Ivcich,
Mime

September 27, 2:00 pm
Stanley Field Hall

>*

What is our most important organ for finding out about
the world around us? — our eyes! Discover how hu-
mans see using color, line, pattern, shape, and form.
Find out how many different kinds of animals see and
make your own color spectrum with giant bubbles.

Please Touch!

Saturday, Sept. 13, 1:00-3:00 pm
Stanley Field Hall

How often have you longed to touch the skin of an ele-
phant or feel the petal of an orchid? Elegant Indian
beadwork takes on a whole new meaning when you
have the opportunity to explore the object with your
hands. Spend some time going around the Museum
and visiting some of our touchable objects. Then using
sandpaper, velvet, styrofoam, and other interesting tex-
tured materials, create your own tactile object that feels
as good as it looks.

Now You Hear It, Now You Don't

Saturday, Sept. 20, 2:00 pm
Stanley Field Hall

"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers ..." En-
joy children's tongue twisters, riddles, and limericks;
find out about melody, timbre, and rhythm. Make
your own rhythm blocks, chimes, or shekere.

The Nose Knows

September 27, 1:00-3:00 pm

Explore the world at the tip of your nose. Smell
your way through a display of fragrant plants. Play
a "smelly" game using only your sense of smell to
identify hidden objects. Discover why some animals
have such unusual noses and make a distinctive ani-
mal nose to wear home.

Enjoy the silent and imaginative art form of miming
— communication through body movements and fa-
cial expressions. Through your sense of sight explore
all the senses with "Mr. Blank," one of the characters
you will meet through mime Steven Ivcich. Learn to
create the mime illusions of "the wall," "leaning on a
fence," and "pulling a rope."

Steven Ivcich is presented through Young Audi-
ences of Chicago.

CONTINUED -»

Events

~\

World Music Program

Saturdays and Sundays in September

Music communicates many different things to many
different people. It is something that can be shared by
all of us, whether or not we have common lifestyles,
beliefs, or even languages. From the rhythmic
sounds of the talking drum to the melodic strains of
the shakuhachi flute, experience with us the music of
Africa, Japan, India, and China.

The World Music Program is supported by
Kenneth and Harle Montgomery in honor of E. Le-
land Webber, president emeritus of Field Museum.

Family Feature

Food Prints

September 27 and 28, 1:00-3:00 pm

Shiny red apples, bright oranges, and deep purple
eggplants look beautiful in still life paintings. Cut
these fruits and vegetables in half and find a whole
new beauty. Roll an orange covered in purple paint
across a page and see the design it leaves. Cut it open
and create a different picture from the same piece of
fruit. Using a garden full of artist's materials, print a
picture that looks good enough to eat.

Music For Homemade Instruments
Mini Concert and Street Fair

Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 20 and 21, 3:00 pm
Stanley Field Hall

Music for Homemade Instruments is an ensemble of
classically trained musicians who invent, build, com-
pose for and perform on musical instruments made
of trash and found objects. Their collection of over
150 instruments features mupejas (multiple peanut
butter jars), legimbas (table leg marimbas), cloud
chamber bowls (tuned gallon winejugs), test tube
pan pipes, boiler pan gongs, fork wind chimes, the
bowery phone (tuned pint bottles), and the teflona-
fun (a set of cooking pots). Join us for two days of
action-packed musical experience. This exciting and
inventive group of musicians assemble and play a
world of new and unusual instruments. After their
performance, families are invited to take part in
group concert — "Audience Oratorio."

September Weekend Programs

Each Saturday and Sunday you are invited to explore the world of natural history at Field Museum. Free tours,
demonstrations, and films related to ongoing exhibits at the Museum are designed for families and adults. Listed
below are only a few of the numerous activities each weekend. Check the Weekend Programs sheet upon arrival for
the complete schedule and program locations. The programs are partially supported by a grant from the Illinois
Arts Council.

September

6 1:30pm. Himalayan Journey (slide lecture). See
Bhutan, "Land of the Thunder Dragon."

13 11:30am. Ancient Egypt (tour). Explore the
traditions of ancient Egypt from everyday life to
myths and mummies.

12:30pm. Museum Safari (tour). Seek out big
game from Africa and mummies from ancient Egypt
as you travel through Field Museum exhibits.

14 2:00pm. Malvina Hoffman: Portraits in Bronze
(slide lecture). Examine the life and works of
Malvina Hoffman, concentrating on the Portraits of
Mankind collection commissioned by Field
Museum.

20 12:30pm. Museum Safari (tour). Seek out big
game from Africa and mummies from ancient Egypt
as you travel through Field Museum exhibits.

27 12:20pm. A Walk with China's Animals (tour).
Meet Su Lin, the panda, and other real and imaginary
beasts through Field Museum exhibits.

28 12:30pm. Treasures from the Totem Forest (tour).
A walk through Museum exhibits introduces the In-
dians of southeast Alaska and British Columbia, their
totem poles and masks.

These programs arc free with Museum admission
and no tickets are required.

Discovering Chicago's Dialects

A Field Museum Experiment in Adult Education

by Michael I. Miller

w

Friting in 1904, an eminent University of Chicago
linguist, Professor Carl Darling Buck, described Chicago
as "an unparalleled babel," whose linguistic diversity sur-
passed other American immigrant centers such as New
York and transcended even the Byzantine variety of
ancient and great cultural crossroads — like Constan-
tinople itself.

The fact that forty languages were spoken in Chi-
cago did not make it unique in America, but that four-
teen of those languages were spoken by more than
10,000 persons each was unprecedented in the history of
human civilization. The Chicago of 1904 supported dai-
ly and weekly newspapers in at least ten languages and
regularly provided church services in at least twenty.
Though multilingualism and multidialectism are com-
monplace facts of urbanism — no doubt constants of
urban life since the earliest cities appeared in Mesopota-
mia— no other civilized place had harbored such a broad
variety of tongues on such a large scale.

If this were not enough to make Chicago's speech
interesting to linguists, we confront the parallel and
apparently contradictory fact that English as spoken
here has become a kind of de facto American national
standard, partly because it forms the basis for the "net-
work standard" heard on radio and TV. Since this may
be horrifyingly true to graduates of Oxbridge and to gen-
teel Londoners, it seems worthwhile to ask about the
effects on our language of over a century of constant
immigration.

What changes have been brought by urbanization,
technological change, and marketing to the traditional
folk dialects we would expect to find transported here
from New England (and ultimately from England itself) ?
What Chicago localisms — Chicagoanisms — have de-
veloped over the last 150 years of European settlement
at the southwestern end of Lake Michigan? To what ex-
tent have loanwords, loanshifts (words whose meaning
has changed under the influence of another language)
and loanblends (word hybrids) taken root in Chicago's

urban culture? What has been the influence of Southern
and South Midland immigrants, particularly Southern
blacks and Appalachian whites? What have been the
effects of mass education — itself an unprecedented so-
cial experiment from a European point of view? What
are the continuing effects of social stratification and of
other forms of social organization, such as national
parishes or red-lined housing areas? Most importantly,
what dynamic changes continue to develop in Chicago's
speech?

The Checklist Technique

"Discovering Chicago's Dialects," a creative experiment
in adult education sponsored by the Field Museum, en-
gaged fifteen Chicagoans in attempts at answering these
and similar questions. We did not find all the answers we
sought; but most of us felt that the search itself was worth
our time and effort.

The course began with a brief overview of Chi-
cago's settlement history and a thumbnail sketch of the
materials and methods of dialectology as an academic
discipline, beginning with the very first scientific at-
tempts at dialect collection along the Rhine River in
western Germany in 1876. This part of the course was
considerably enriched by the contributions of Virginia
McDavid, a former fieldworker for the Linguistic Atlas
of the United States and Canada. Then we set to work
on a concentrated study of Chicago's vocabulary and
pronunciation, using a checklist technique pioneered by
Alva M. Davis, formerly of the Illinois Institute of Tech-
nology, and following out several lines of investigation
suggested by the brilliant work of Lee Pederson, con-
ducted here between 1964 and 1966.

Though course participants drew heavily on previ-

Dr. Miller is assistant professor, Department of English and Speech,
Chicago State University, and has been an instructor for Field
Museum's Adult Education Program.

ous scholarly work, we did not confine ourselves to a
study of lifeless documents. Instead, we used five or six
different checklists to explore the language of our fam-
ilies, friends, co-workers, and anyone else we could get
to cooperate. As this implies, we did not attempt a rep-
licable sociolinguistic sampling of Chicago speech.
Our results nevertheless suggest some features of Chi-
cago's language that a more scientific sampling survey
might look for — and find. For readers who would like to
try it out on themselves, one of our checklists is repro-
duced on page 8.

Chicago's Dialectical Structure

A map created by Roger Shuy, author of The Northern-
Midland Dialect Boundary in Illinois (1962), indicates the
major dialect boundary that runs through northern Illi-
nois, a relatively sharp and stable Northern-North Mid-
land isogloss bundle. An isogloss bundle is an imaginary
geographical line where the dialect boundaries formed
by individual words, pronunciations, and grammatical
usages run more or less parallel, though in real life they
always intertwine like strands of spaghetti.

Shuy worked from detailed field records of pro-
nunciation, grammar, and vocabulary of carefully se-
lected, long-time residents of northern Illinois. He
concluded that "we have a major dialect division in
northern Illinois which clearly marks off the Lead
Region [around Galena] and southern half of our area
as Midland and the northeast quadrant of our terri-
tory as Northern. . . . Our dialect boundaries in
northern Illinois correspond roughly to the area
bounded to the west by the Rock River and to the south
by the east-west flow of the Illinois River." Chicago sits
squarely in the northeast quadrant of Shuy's map. And
since most of Chicago's first English-speaking settlers
came from New England and New York, we would ex-
pect to find more distinctive features in common with
New York City than with, say, Philadelphia or Atlanta.
Within the city, the Chicago River presents Chi-
cago's most distinctive physical feature, bisecting the
area north of the Loop and then fanning out in northern
and southern branches. This shape determines Chi-
cago's social and cultural geography. The Irish workers
attracted here to dig the Illinois-Michigan canal settled
east of the south branch and established the basis for
both the speech and the political traditions of Bridge-
port, home turf of the Daley clan. Germans tended to
settle east of the north branch, where they cultivated
the language known as "Lincoln Avenue Dutch"
throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centu-
6 ries, and the later Poles, Italians, Bohemians, and other

ethnic groups generally fanned out west of the two river
branches. Chicago's language, which began from the
same linguistic base as Boston's and New York's, differs
from the speech of the East today because of the im-
migration patterns begun in the 1840s and shaped by
the river.

Three major population groups comprise present-
day Chicago: blacks, Hispanics, and the descendants of
the earlier European immigrants. Blacks have brought
various forms of Southern speech to the south and west
sides. Hispanics have brought Mexican Spanish to set-
tlements along the south branch of the river and Puerto
Rican Spanish to settlements along the north branch.
Since the nineteenth century, the European populations
have steadily migrated northwest and southwest, follow-
ing the paths of old Indian trails that later became ave-
nues like Lincoln, Milwaukee, Ogden, and Archer. As a
result of this constant population movement and neigh-
borhood resettlement, distinctive neighborhood di-
alects have not developed on a large scale. There are,
however, conservative, long-established neighborhoods
and parishes with distinctive speech forms, such as
Alderman Edward Vrdolyak's Tenth Ward. On the other
hand, the influences of Southern black and white
speech and of Spanish tend to break up the essential
unity of Chicago's speech roughly along the geographical
lines established by the river and creating the social and
ethnic organization of the city.

New England Sources

New England nevertheless remains the essential starting
point of Chicago's speech. We might think, for example,
that urbanization would cause traditional New England
farming terms to disappear, but the evidence doesn't al-
ways bear out this assumption. One semantic field, or
area of meaning, that we investigated is represented by
the characteristic Yankee word for a small collection of
hay in the field, hay cock. We found that hay cock sur-
vives vigorously in Chicago use, even though few of us
have occasion to gather, or even see, hay. However,
many Chicagoans replace the traditional word with an
ad hoc urban innovation, hay pile. Other Chicagoans use
the Southern term, hay shock. Still others, probably
because their acquaintance with farming activities is
slight, mistake the small collections made before baling
with a bale itself. Since none of these variants were sug-
gested by the question itself and seem unlikely to be
learned in school, they must survive through word-of-
mouth transmission, through the generations. Inter-
estingly, some Chicagoans use the word rick for a small

collection of hay, a word more commonly applied to the
rectangular hay stacks of the upper Chesapeake Bay and
inland parts of Virginia.

In any case, we found a process of innovation and
replacement rather than loss. This leads not to a dis-
appearance of the traditional folk vocabulary but to a
phenomenon perhaps better called urban fragmentation.
Urban fragmentation can be observed for many different
kinds of farm terms. For example, the traditional
Northern-North Midland distinction between stone wall
(New England) and stone fence (Pennsylvania) for a
fence built of loose stones gets fragmented in Chicago
use to include cobble fence, cobblestone fence, brick wall,
barrier, drywall fence, rock fence, rock abutment, and rub'
ble. A shelter for hogs and pigs in Chicago usage is
known not only with the traditional eastern New Eng-
land terms sty and pig sty but also by terms imported from
elsewhere and still others apparently invented on the
spot, like pig pen, hog shed, hog bam, pig barn, barn pen,
hogpen, and even hog stable, which is perhaps a caique, or
loan translation, from German Schweinestall.

Though we found no convincing proof, our study
group speculated that pig sty is relatively stable in Chi-
cago because it has become an element of urban folk
culture and vocabulary. Several participants, for exam-
ple, found that pig sty appears as a term of reproach —
"Your room looks like a pig sty!" — by urban mothers who
had never seen a live pig, much less a sty.

Words like these helped us identify at least three
ways in which urbanization affects the farm vocabulary:
innovation, as in hay pile; lexical importation, as in rick
or shock; and semantic shift or transference, as in bale or
sty. All of these processes produce the types of urban
fragmentation we often observed and prevent the
obsolescence of rural terms that naive observers might
expect. This does not mean that rural words never dis-
appear. For example, when asked how to call a cow, most
Chicagoans simply don't know. And those who think
they do know tend to come up with probably ineffective
tries like "hey, cow!"

Technological Change

Technological change, on the other hand, with or with-
out urbanization, effectively makes words obsolete.
Dashboard, for example, is a word that has survived but
with completely changed meaning due to technological
change. And during the course, Mrs. McDavid observed
that Henry Ford probably had more to do with breaking
down dialect barriers than any other single individual in
American history. Mass-produced cars of course pro-
moted transportation across dialect barriers. But even

more importantly, the language of horse-drawn machin-
ery and transportation is no longer the reliable index of
dialect differences that it was as recently as two genera-
tions ago.

When asked what they would call a crossbar on a
wagon for an individual draft animal — an everyday, in-
deed indispensable feature of urban life in 1904 — only
eight of about one hundred people ventured any re-
sponse at all, and several of these responses were nonce
formations; that is, words that occurred only once and
were apparently invented on the spot. But the whipple-
tree or whiffletree was such a common object in the horse-
drawn days of living memory that Einar Haugen, a
famous scholar of bilingualism, observed the word used
in common interlingual jokes in daily newspapers as
recently as World War II. Similarly, however, the paral-
lel harness poles on a buggy, called shafts, fills, or thills in
older usage, are virtually without a name in current Chi-
cago speech. The thick sour milk that used to be called
clabber has all but disappeared due to changes in milk-
processing. These instances of lexical obsolescence,
sometimes sudden lexical obsolescence, are all due to
technological change, not urbanization as such.

Trade

Sociologist-economist Max Weber's famous dictum that
"the city is a market" also applies to urban vocabulary.
The classic example in the Midwest is the word for
cheese made with curds from sour milk, discussed in de-
tail by the editor of the Linguistic Atlas of the Upper Mid-
west, Professor Harold B. Allen. In Chicago, Lee Pederson
found several words borrowed from other languages,
such as German Schmierkdse, Czech smetlak, and even a
Swiss-German dialectal form Bibelikdse. But in our pilot
study, we found that 98 percent of those we interviewed
used cottage cheese, a word that began its life in American
English as a Northern dialectical form but has become
"standard" in cities. This happened partly because tech-
nological change has rendered obsolete the need to
make cottage cheese in the home. But why has cottage
cheese become the dominant term rather than the
equally plausible and historic British term curds? Why
don't we use other Americanisms such as Dutch cheese,
pot cheese, or even smearcase? The answer seems to be
that the large dairy firms responsible for packaging, dis-
tributing, and marketing the product happened to adopt
this particular variant. Cottage cheese is thus a trade
word, like xerox when used as a verb meaning "copy."

A similar process has influenced the adoption of
northern kerosene over midland and southern coal oil. 7

Preliminary Chicago Checklist

The Regional Vocabulary

DIRECTIONS:

1 . Please put a circle around the word in each group you ordinarily use.

2. If you ordinarily use more than one word in a group, put a circle around each of the words you use.

3. Don't put a circle around any word you don't actually use, even though you may be familiar with it.

4. If the word you ordinarily use is not listed in the group, please write it in the space below the item.

5. If you never use any word in the group, because you never need to refer to the thing described, don't mark the word.

6. The material in italics is explanatory only.

Example: Town Officer: alderman, selectman, trustee, councilman.

1 . Small front porch: porch, front porch, stoop, step, front steps, landing.

2. Protective boarded covering on the sides (not the roof) of a house: clapboards, siding, shingles, facerboards, brick siding.

3. Suspended, or built-in horizontal open piping for draining rain from a roof: eaves trough, gutters, drain pipe, rain pipe, rain trough.

4. Small collection of hay in the field at harvest: hay cock, pile of hay, hay pile, bale, bale of hay, shock, hay shock, bundle of hay,
bundle, hay mound, small stack, small hay stack, bunch, rick.

5. Shelter and enclosure for hogs and pigs: pig sty, sty, pig pen, pen, hog shed, shed, hog barn, pig barn, barn, barn pen, hog pen,
hog stable.

6. Fence or wall made of loose rock or stone: stone fence, stone wall, cobble fence, cobblestone fence, brick wall, barrier, drywall fence,
rock abutment, rubble, rock fence.

7. Wooden container for carrying liquid: bucket, pail.

8. Metal or plastic container for carrying liquid: pail, bucket.

9. Table scraps as refuse: garbage, slop, swill.

10. Utensil for frying eggs: frying pan, skillet, spider.

1 1 . Water outlet at the kitchen sink: faucet, tap.

12. Similar device on a barrel: spigot, tap, faucet, spout, bung, bunghole, spicket, pipe.

13. Outdoor water outlet at the side of a house: faucet, sprinkling faucet, hose cock, sill cock, square cock, water cock, cock, hydrant,
spicket, water line.

14. Bag or sack made of rough, loosely woven cloth: burlap, burlap bag, burlap sack, gunny sack, crocker sack, jute bag.

15. Small, reed wind-instrument: mouth organ, harmonica, harp, mouth harp.

16. Parallel harness poles on a buggy: fills, thills, shafts.

17. Crossbar on a wagon for an individual draft animal: whippletree, whiffletree.

18. Vehicle without wheels for transporting rocks and stones from a field: dray, sled, stoneboat, cart, wheelbarrow.

19. Cultivating implement used after plowing: harrow, farrow, disc, drag, cultivator, tiller, tractor.

20. Small container for coal near a stove: coal scuttle, scuttle, coal bucket, bucket, coal hod, basket, pail.

2 1 . Balanced plank on which two children ride up and down: teeter totter, teeter, teeters , see saw , see horse .

22. Liquid burned in lamps: kerosene, oil, coal oil, lamp oil.

23. Thick, cotton-padded cover for a bed: quilt, comforter, comfort.

24. Makeshift bed on a floor: cot, pallet, bunk, bed roll, pad, floor bed, mattress.

25. Small freshwater stream: creek, brook, stream, rill, inlet, riverlet.

26. Game with metal rings which are tossed at a stake or peg: horseshoes, quoits.

27. Call to a cow at feeding time: boss, bossie, hey, cow, woo-ah.

28. Gentle, contented noise made by a horse, especially at feeding time: neigh, whinny, bray, sigh, snort.

29. Forked chicken bone which children like to pull: wishbone, pulley bone.

30. wTieatbread made of bleached flour and baked in loaves: white bread, bread, wheat bread, bakery bread, light bread, loaf of bread,
Weissbrot.

31. Bread made of com meal: corn bread, johnnycake, cornmeal bread.

32. Round fried cake with hole in the center, made of soda-leavened dough: doughnut, fried cake, sinker.

33. Loaf of jellied pressed-meat made of flesh from the head of a hog: headcheese, souse, hogsouse, hog head cheese, hog's head cheese,
Sulze, sylte, sylteflesk, sulc.

34. Thick, sour milk: lobbered milk, loppered milk, sour milk, sour cream, curdled milk, clabbered milk, clabber.

35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.

46.

Cheese made with the curds from sour milk: cottage cheese, Schmierkase, curds, Bibbelkase, cook-cheese, smetlak.

Hard center of a cherry: pit, seed, stone, heart.

Hard center of a peach: stone, pit, seed.

Beans that are snapped and cooked in the pods: string beans, green beans, pole beans, beans.

Outer covering of an ear of com: husks, shucks, sheafs, shells.

Small, land-bound squirrel-like animal: gopher, chipmunk, ground squirrel.

Worm used for bait: worms, angleworms, earthworms, rainworms, redworms.

Insect with four long and narrow, transparent wings, often found near ponds: dragonfly, darning needle, stinger, snake doctor.

Small insect that gives off light: firefly, lightning bug, fire bug, light bug, glow worm, June bug.

A number of maple trees standing together: maple grove, grove, cluster, orchard, arbor, clump, sugar bush.

Vehicle with four wheels and a cowl for a small baby — a crib, not a chair, on wheels: baby buggy, buggy, carriage, baby carriage,

perambulator, stroller.

Noisy, burlesque serenade after a wedding: shivaree, reception, charivari, shindig, hullabaloo.

Fieldworker's Name:

Please answer the following questions without identifying yourself:

Sex Race Age Highest grade reached in school

Languages other than English .

Ethnic background

Neighborhood name

How long have you lived here? .
Birthplace .

Other towns, states, or countries you have lived in (please give approximate dates):

Have you traveled much outside Chicago? Yes or No
If so, where?

Parents' birthplace

Father .

Mother

Occupation .

Grandfather _
Grandmother .
Grandfather _
Grandmother .

But perhaps the most striking example in the realm of
everyday, non-commercial folk speech is the replace-
ment of the northern dialectal term mouth organ by the
commercial term harmonica in the speech of most native
Chicagoans. The fact that harmonica is an international
word (cf. , German Mundharmonika) may have influ-
enced this development. But an even more powerful in-
fluence has undoubtedly been the distribution of the
famous and widely used Hohner harmonica, particularly
through the medium of the Sears catalog. Indeed, the
Sears catalog has had such a powerful impact on the
American vocabulary for everyday objects that it de-
serves a separate study by itself.

People often think that urbanism obliterates or
diminishes dialectal variation in language, but our
investigation at the Field Museum demonstrates that
this is an oversimplification. Many farm terms associ-

ated with dialect boundaries survive in urban speech,
even when the people using them have long since lost
precise referents or are unclear about exact meanings.
Furthermore, technological change and the accompany-
ing commercialism of formerly folk terms seem far more
important than urbanization itself. Rather than ob-
literating the folk vocabulary, urbanization seems to
fragment it. Then, the technological change and com-
mercialization associated with urban culture add addi-
tional layers of vocabulary. In addition, however, urban
cultures create their own, sometimes highly localized,
folk vocabulary.

Chicagoanisms

There are many Chicago localisms — Chicagoanisms —
but most Chicagoans don't notice them because they

seem "normal." Perhaps the most commonly cited Chi-
cagoanisms are prairie "vacant lot," gangway "passageway
between buildings," chut "political influence or power,"
and snorkel "firefighting equipment." Others that might
be added to the list are parkway "grass strip between
street and sidewalk," gaper's block or gaper's delay "traffic
obstruction," and American fries "sliced, fried potatoes."
Many of these words, like clout and American fries, have
spread beyond their origins in Chicago, but others re-
main local and still others ought to be considered as
characteristic of Chicago use, even though they may
have originated elsewhere and are commonly used in
other restricted areas.

For example, German-speaking people have influ-
enced the vocabulary and pronunciation of American
English in several places where they have settled in large
numbers, including Pennsylvania, Texas, the "Dutch
Fork" of South Carolina, Wisconsin, and several large
cities, such as Louisville, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, and
Chicago. Some characteristic Germanisms that occur in
Chicago (and in other German settlement areas)
include achja "oh yes" (also a children's game), ainna as a
question tag, probably a loan translation, or caique, of
German nicht wahr "isn't it so?," all "consumed, used up,
gone, dead," already "yet" (cf. German schon), apple-
kuchen "apple cake," apple-snitzen "apple slices," and aus-
gespielt "tired out." These examples all come from the
letter A in the recently published Dictionary of American
Regional English. They supplement common German
words in American English (like flak), and they are all
cited from Chicago sources, dare also indicates that
another German-based language, Yiddish, has influ-
enced Chicago speech, citing for example Abie Kabibble
"person of Jewish ancestry," and alter kocker "old fogy,"
with an acronym built on alter kocker, AK.

It seems obvious, however, that Yiddish has not in-
fluenced Chicago's speech as much as New York's, and
German has perhaps had less influence here than in Mil-
waukee or Cincinnati. The dominant contact language
today in Chicago is of course Spanish, but even the in-
fluence of Spanish on Chicago English is open to ques-
tion. For example, though knowing Spanish is a political
requisite in at least four of Chicago's fifty wards, Chica-
goans in general have not adopted anything equivalent
to the common southern California word pachuco "a
young tough." For another example, signs for cervezafria
"cold beer" appear commonly in mixed Polish-Puerto
Rican neighborhoods, but one wonders how many
Chicagoans of Polish descent would know how to order a
cold beer in Spanish. Can we really consider cervezafria
10 a Chicagoanism within American English?

Multilingualism

As questions such as these imply, the word lists that we
can derive from sources like dare do not give us a com-
pletely accurate picture of the impact of multilingualism
in Chicago. We need detailed studies of contact and of
use frequency. And here, as with so many other aspects
of the study of Chicago speech, Lee Pederson has pro-
vided us with a clear outline and a useful model.

Pederson distinguished at least three levels of
acculturation in the migration of words from other Ian-

From a linguistic point of
view, the motto for political
success in Chicago seems to
be, "If you can't switch (from
one language or dialect to
another), you can't fight!"

guages to Chicago English. For example, he classified
Weissbrot "white bread" as a poorly acculturated term
because even though he had recorded it in the speech of
native Chicagoans, it occurred only in the use of Ger-
man bilinguals and apparently had not spread to mono-
lingual or to people from other, non-German linguistic
backgrounds. On the other hand, Pederson classified
words like Czech kolacky "breakfast pastry" as well
assimilated because they occurred in the speech not only
of Czech bilinguals but also of monolinguals and others.
However, there are degrees of acculturation, and it
would be useful to know more about exactly how wide-
spread these terms are and what have been their exact
avenues of transmission. In any case, Pederson's third
class includes words like shivaree "wedding celebration,"
classified as fully acculturated because even though the
word seems to be dying out of use, few are aware of its
French origins and its users consider it a strange but thor-
oughly English word.

Black Speech

Among the newer native English influences, black
speech in Chicago is not uniform and also differs from
the types of black speech heard in the South. Neverthe-

less, the Southern influence in Chicago's black commu-
nity remains strong and often sets this group off from the
Yankee-based speech of neighboring whites. The table
shown here indicates a few vocabulary differences we
found:

Black/White Lexical Heteroglosses in Chicago

Typical White Usage Typical Black Usage
frying pan skillet

faucet spigot

teeter-totter see-saw

cherry pit
firefly

cherry seed
lightning bug

To the naive observer, the differences between
black and white speech seem numerous, fundamental,
and sometimes overwhelming. But as this table may
begin to suggest, most differences between black and
white speech are superficial, even trivial, and they sel-
dom interfere with communication. Furthermore, we
found that the differences between black and white
speech are statistical; that is, while more blacks than
whites are likely to use seesaw rather than teeter-totter or
to pronounce words like father without the final -r, there
are nevertheless many whites who use the "black" forms
and many blacks who use the "white" forms. We found
no categorical differences between black and white
speech.

Code-Switching

Each of the subjects we touched on during the course —
geography and settlement, urbanization, technological
change, marketing, localisms, contact languages, and
contact dialects — demands much more study than we
were able to give during the brief six weeks we had avail-
able. But course participants had little doubt of the value
of what they had learned. And to underscore that im-
portance as we watched, the 26th Ward decided its
runoff election largely on linguistic grounds when Man-
uel Torres appeared unable to debate Luis Gutierrez in
Spanish on a citywide TV hookup. But the key to
Gutierrez's success was not merely his ability to speak
Spanish; far more importantly, Gutierrez could switch
with ease and express himself with facility in both lan-
guages. Similarly, observers of Chicago Mayor Harold
Washington were struck by his ability to switch, not lan-
guages, but dialects, depending on the audience he
addresses. Linguists call this process code-switching.

The ability to switch from one language or dialect
to another has always been a feature of Chicago politics,
as suggested by comic dialect books like the Mr. Dooley
series or Gemixte Pickles. More seriously, one student

pointed out that the broadside published in 1886 which
spurred the famous Haymarket riot was printed in both
English and German. To be effective, the political lead-
ers of 1886 had to appeal to their followers in both lan-
guages at once. Today, Gutierrez's facility in English and
Spanish and Mayor Washington's abilities at several di-
alect levels provide exact contemporary parallels. From
a linguistic point of view, the motto for political success
in Chicago seems to be, "If you can't switch, you can't
fight!"

While Chicago has developed a distinctive polit-
ical and social geography, the structure of its culture is
not readily apparent, and the pieces of the puzzle are
easily lost track of in the mass sensory bombardment that
characterizes contemporary urban life. However, we
four^d that urban dialectology, a kind of urban
anthropology, can provide useful clues for grasping some
sense of the meaning of the city. Most participants in the
course were not expert in phonology, but we learned the
truth of Lee Pederson's observation that the local vocab-
ulary represents "the most philologically productive
component of the linguistic system, the most accessible
approach to the study of representative monuments of
both the oral and literary traditions in their cultural set-
ting." As we continued to study Chicago's speech, we
hope to identify even more of the strands that make up
the "unparalleled babel" that Professor Buck discovered
and celebrated back in 1904. FM

Further Reading

By far the most enjoyable, comprehensive, and scholarly book
about American English in general is H.L. Mencken's The
American Language in the one-volume abridged edition by
Raven I. McDavid, Jr. (1963). The best book about Chicago
speech, but somewhat daunting to non-phonologists, is Lee
Pederson's The Pronunciation of English in Metropolitan Chi-
cago, published in 1965 by the American Dialect Society.
McDavid also published a shorter and very readable compari-
son of Chicago speech with the speech of Greenville, South
Carolina (his home town) in "Dialect Differences and Social
Differences in an Urban Society," printed in Sociolinguistics,
edited by William Bright ( 1966). The American Dialect Soci-
ety published Roger Shuy's The Northern-Midland Dialect
Boundary in Illinois in 1962.

The basis for studying regional variation in American
English words is Hans Kurath's A Word Geography of the East-
ern United States (1949), but for Chicago we relied primarily
on Pederson's "An Approach to Urban Word Geography" and
"Chicago Words: The Regional Vocabulary," both published
in volume 46 ( 197 1 ) of the journal American Speech. For study-
ing language and dialect contact, the best guide is Einar
Haugen's Bilingualism in the Americas: A Bibliography and
Research Guide (1956). Buck's "A Sketch of the Linguistic
Conditions of Chicago" appeared in The Decennial Publications
of the University of Chicago, first series ( 1904). 11

A SYLVAN RETREAT

The Wooded Island of Jackson Park,
Chicago's Premier Birding Area

by Jerry Sullivan

The black rail hung out in the bushes at the south
end of Wooded Island. He stayed for a whole
week while birders from all over the Midwest
rushed to see him. Sometimes he was hidden in
the shrubbery, but often he was as visible as a robin on
your lawn.

Understand that the black rail is probably the most

elusive bird in North America, a will-o'-the-wisp rarely

glimpsed by even the most dedicated birders. The whole

tribe of rails tends toward the shy and reclusive. They are

12 birds of marsh and wet meadow who lurk in the cattails

and sedges. They fly only under extreme duress, prefer-
ring to escape observation by slipping off through the
weeds. The ornithologists call them laterally com-
pressed; common folk call them skinny as rails, and their
svelte forms allow them to steal away without rustling
a stem.

Jerry Sullivan edited Chicago Area Birds, published recently by Chi-
cago Review Press; writes a column, "Field and Street," for the Chi-
cago Reader; and has written extensively on birds of the Chicago area.

And of all this mysterious family, the black rail, a
bird the size of a sparrow, is the most difficult to see.
Birders have been known to drag chains across marshes
to force them into flight. As a sporting act, this ranks on
about the same level as dynamiting fish, but it gives you
an idea of how desperate birders can get for a look at a
black rail.

So the black rail who spent a week under the shrubs
on Wooded Island in Jackson Park was a major event. He
was there in 1972. I didn't bird the island until two years
later, but when we passed the place where the bird had
appeared, my guide pointed it out to me. "That's where
the black rail was," she said. "It stayed a whole week."
Since then, several other birders have told me the same
thing.

That black rail, most anonymous of birds, has, by

Left: A glimpse across Jackson Park Lagoon to Wooded Island, a neighbor-
hood "fixture" since the 1893 World's Fair, when it was created try land-
scape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Right: The black rail (Laterallus
jamaicensis), probably North America's most elusive bird, was sighted on
Wooded Island in 1972 and again in 1986. Below: A profusion of bam
swallow (Hirundo rustics) nests occupy the girders supporting bridges to
the island.

13

Copyright © Leonard Lee Rue Ill/Photo Researchers Inc.

14

The Japanese garden, de-
spite vandalism, manages to
survive and embellish the
north end of Wooded Island.
In the background is the
Museum of Science and In-
dustry, and directly in line
with the museum's south
portico is the Clarence Dar-

toui Bridge, named for the
famed lawyer who frequent-
ly strolled the island's peace-
ful grounds.

Dave Walsten

lingering for a week on Wooded Island, made himself
not just famous, but immortal. Now when I take new
people to the island, I point out the place to them, even
though I never saw the bird. This is oral tradition in the
making, and I feel an obligation not to break the chain.

Wooded Island is the one place in Chicago where a
black rail in search of enduring fame could have landed
and got what he was after. As a North Sider, I do most of
my birding at Montrose Harbor or the Lincoln Park Bird
Sanctuary. We get some birders at these places in April
and May or September and October, but we are always
just a small group surrounded by fishermen, joggers, dog
walkers, frisbee players, drug dealers, picnickers, and
unfortunate souls whose worldly goods will fit in a shop-
ping cart.

At Wooded Island on weekend mornings in spring
and fall, the birders are plainly in charge. You can't turn
around without seeing somebody staring through binoc-
ulars patiently waiting for a warbler to come out from
behind a leaf or for a woodpecker to come out from be-
hind a tree trunk.

The biggest group will usually be following Doug
Anderson. Doug is the current president of the Chicago
Audubon Society, and he has been leading bird walks on
Wooded Island for 12 years. Every Monday, Wednesday,
and Friday at 7 a.m. and every Saturday at 8 a.m. , from
the first of March through the end of May and from the
first of September until the end of November, Doug
leads a party on a birding tour of the island, starting from
the Clarence Darrow Bridge at the north end.

The birders circle the island on the paved walk and
cross the bridge at the south end to look at the "meadow,"
an open grassy area. A few years ago a large portion of the
meadow was converted to a golf driving range, a move

The yellow warbler (Den-
droica petechia), a com-
mon Illinois resident, adds
its canary brightness to the
island's verdant scene. Q

Barlh Schorre Bruce Coleman Inc. New York

not calculated to please the nesting bobolinks and sa-
vannah sparrows.

Some mornings, Doug will collect 50 birders for the
outing. His will be the largest group, but by no means the
only one. Small groups of friends and lone individuals
are also about.

They are attracted by some of the best birding in
the Chicago area. Doug's groups have, during the 12
years, compiled an aggregate list of 266 species. Included
in that total are the first Illinois record for Townsend's
warbler, a western bird that you would not expect to see
east of Wyoming; a lesser black-backed gull, a bird that
does not breed in the Western Hemisphere.

And there is a long list of somewhat less remarkable
but nonetheless very interesting species, like the gos-
hawk that spent a good part of the 1984-85 winter
on the island, the peregrine falcon that could be found
perched at the top of a tall, dead cotton wood for two
weeks, or the bald eagle that occupied another tree .

We owe some of these records to the sheer numbers

of birders who visit the island. All those eyes make a
difference. A rare bird has only a slim chance of slipping
through unnoticed at Wooded Island.

We owe the others to the fact that Wooded Island,
while it is not actually a woods, is more thickly planted
with trees and shrubs than any other Chicago Park Dis-
trict property. It still remains much of the "secluded,
natural, sylvan aspect" that the great landscape architect
Frederick Law Olmsted wanted.

Jackson Park was created for the 1893 World's
Columbian Exposition, the great fair organized to cele-
brate the 500th anniversary of Columbus's discovery of
America. The architectural firm of Burnham and Root
conceived the overall design for the fairgrounds, and
Olmsted, the man who designed New York's Central
Park and the Capitol grounds in Washington, had the
responsibility for landscaping. Given the state of Jack-
son Park, his was a very large job.

Olmsted thought so little of the Jackson Park site
that he tried to convince the fair's organizers to select a

Observant visitors may glimpse the handsome wood duck ( Aix sponsa) feeding in the quiet lagoon waters.

16

Kenneth W. Fink/Bnjce Coleman Inc. New York

In winter, the island's snow-
covered meadows are popular
with cross-country skiers as well
as with bird-watchers. The
northern cardinal (Cardinalis
cardinalis), a year-round resi-
dent, adds scarlet touches to the
white landscape.

place farther south. That did not work out because the
railroads, particularly the Illinois Central, which would
carry most of the visitors to and from the fair, balked at
extending their tracks. Olmsted had to make a choice
between Jackson Park or Washington Park, about a mile
to the west. He chose Jackson because the lake provided,
in his view, a more scenic setting than could be had
inland. It should be said that Olmsted was an Eastern-
er who did not think much of our generally treeless
landscape.

Jackson Park was totally wild land. Three sand
ridges, beaches left over from earlier and higher stages of
Lake Michigan, ran from north to south through the
site, and between them were marshes. The only trees
grew on the two ridges farthest from the lake. They were
oaks, none more than 40 feet tall, and they all showed
the effects of growing in poor, sandy soil in a situation
where their roots were likely to be under water much of
the time. Olmsted thought them scraggly and unthrifty
looking, but he figured they were worth saving given the
brief span of time he had to prepare for the fair. They are
still green and thriving today.

In these overdeveloped times, we would get very

excited about a piece of natural shoreline along Lake
Michigan, but Olmsted thought the place looked "for-
bidding," and he remarked, in an article written for
Inland Architect magazine, on the tendency of "town gov-
ernments, when they find bodies of land . . . not favor-
able to the ends of dealers in building lots, to regard
them as natural reservations for pleasure grounds." No-
thing else about this desolate place, he thought, would
recommend it for a park.

Working with Burnham and Root, Olmsted con-
ceived a design for Jackson Park that built on the natural
shape of the landscape. He would dredge the marshes
and heap the spoil on the old beach ridges, creating a
system of lagoons separated by islands and peninsulas
where the fair's buildings would stand.

Burnham and Root created the buildings, working
in the then popular Beaux Arts style. They have been
criticized, then and now, for making such a conservative
choice, especially here in Chicago where Louis Sullivan
and others were, at the time, busy creating an entirely
new and distinctively American architectural style.
Some critics claim that Burnham and Root's designs set
American architecture back 50 years.

17

"*m

,*;>>''

iry-

-.

./

oThe Canada goose (Branta canadensis) has been a visitor to Wooded
Island for many years, but only recently has it been known to breed there.
This summer, two pairs of the fairly tame birds raised a total of five young.

Copyright © Gregory K. Soon/Photo Researchers Inc

o The green heron (Butorides virescens), though still a common sight-
ing, is not as abundant on the island as in previous years. Its cousin, the
stately great blue heron ( Ardea herodias) , North America's largest heron,
may often be seen during the warmer months perched on dead limbs along
the water's edge.

Nearly all the fair buildings were temporary struc-
tures that were torn down when the fair closed. The one
major building that remains is the Palace of Fine Arts,
which housed the Field Museum for its first 28 years and
now houses the Museum of Science and Industry. Wood-
ed Island is immediately south of the museum, separated
from it by one of the lagoons.

The fair buildings faced on both land and water,
and Olmsted specified that people should be able to en-
ter on foot or by boat. He chose the styles of boats to be
used, thinking of them in aesthetic terms as elements in
his landscape composition, just like the flocks of domes-
tic ducks and geese that were released in the waters.

Olmsted faced a serious problem in deciding what
plants to use to decorate the shores of his lagoons. Since
the lagoons connected with the lake, they would be sub-
ject to the same variations in water levels as Lake Michi-
gan. He solved his problem by sending gangs of men out
to scour the marshes and ponds of Illinois and Wisconsin
to collect cattails, flags, rushes, irises, and pond lilies.
The men gathered several million plants, enough to fill
75 boxcars, and Olmsted's crews replanted them at the
new site.

The Wooded Island was to be a refuge from the
noise and crowds of the fair, a quiet place where visitors
could feel close to nature and whence they could look
out over the shimmering waters of the lagoons at the
fair's pavilions.

Olmsted knew that there would be tremendous
pressures put on him to allow exhibits on Wooded
Island. He fought all of them, but was finally forced to
yield. A small Japanese exhibit, including a teahouse,
was placed at the north end of the island, and some
horticultural exhibits were placed amidst the sylvan re-
treat he had planned.

Some parts of the Japanese exhibit remained after
the closing of the fair, and in 1935, the teahouse re-
opened. Young girls in kimonos served visitors.

According to Doug Anderson, who is a sort of un-

official historian of Wooded Island, the teahouse was a
big attraction, and the late thirties probably saw more
visitors to Wooded Island than any time since the fair.
Unfortunately, December 7, 1941, put a temporary end
to the exotic charm of things Japanese, and during
World War II, vandals burned down the teahouse.

Other people were using the island too. Clarence
Darrow used to come there often. He had little interest
in nature, although he had learned something about
birds while defending Leopold and Loeb. The two bril-
liant, twisted young men were active birders who had
managed to publish in ornithological journals while they
were still teenagers.

Darrow apparently came to Wooded Island for the
peace that surrounds the place, and when he died in
1938, his ashes — at his request — were scattered in the
lagoon from the bridge that connects the north end of
the island to the mainland. Every year on the an-
niversary of his death, people gather for a memorial
service on the Clarence Darrow Bridge.

Senator Paul Douglas loved the island too. He
came there frequently in his years as a University of Chi-
cago economics professor and alderman from the Fifth
Ward. After his election to the Senate he was in
Washington most of the time, but upon his retirement in
1966, he again became a regular visitor. His ashes were
scattered in the formal Japanese garden recently restored
by the Park District on the site of the long ago teahouse.

After the Senator's death in 1978, Doug Anderson
asked the Park District board to designate Wooded Is-
land as the Paul Douglas Nature Sanctuary, and the
board complied.

The lesser black-backed gull

(Larus fuscus), which breeds

in Europe, has been sighted

just across the lagoon from

Wooded Island.

19

Copyrighl C John Bcva'Photo Re»wch*v-» tnc

Doug often discusses the island with the Park Dis-
trict, mainly in an effort to restrain their zeal with the
chain saw. He remembers playing on the island as a child
and thinking of the place as a jungle, so to his eye, even
the rather lush vegetation of today looks rather sparse.

About 10 years ago, shortly after Doug Anderson

Perhaps an eyesore to some, the

dead cotlonwood shown here has

recently provided a convenient

perch for a peregrine falcon

(Falcoperegrinus).

species, a number of them rarities like the Brewer's spar-
row that visited the nearby Lake Michigan shore in May,
1982, providing the first sighting east of the Mississippi
for this southwestern species since 1872.

The manuscript will also list the more than 40 spe-
cies that have been discovered breeding on or around

began leading bird walks on the island, Harriet Rylaars-
dam began to join his morning gathering. She had had
some experience with birding in college, but the pres-
sures of child rearing had kept her away from it for a
number of years. Wooded Island brought her back into
it, especially after she met Paul Clyne. Clyne was then a
graduate student in linguistics at the University of Chi-
cago, and he birded Wooded Island every morning.
Under his influence, she began to do the same. He
helped sharpen her skills and showed her how to keep
careful records of what she saw.

Together, they found that Townsend's warbler, and
Clyne left her with the nerve-wracking job of keeping an
eye on the bird while he ran to a phone to spread the
word about the sighting.

Right now, she is helping Clyne complete a man-
uscript that would provide a complete bird list for Jack-
son Park, combining both recent sightings and historical
20 records, some going back to 1918. The list includes 266

The northern goshawk (Accipiter
gentilis), an occasional visitor, was
last seen on the island during the
winter of 1984-85, when it spent
several weeks dining on rabbit. £

Wooded Island in the past decade. The breeding list is
amazing for a city park, including wood duck, hooded
merganser, green heron, warbling vireo, yellow warbler,
Canada goose, and tree swallow. The nesting species
make Wooded Island the only lakefront location in the
city where the birding is interesting year around.

Drawing on Clyne's manuscript, Harriet can pro-
vide real historical perspective. Consider the Bohemian
waxwing seen in 1919 and not again until 1985, or the
Bachman's sparrow seen in 1918 and not at all since.

A yellow rail, a slightly less elusive cousin of the
black rail, was recorded in October, 1980, and this past
spring, lo! a black rail was sighted by Bob Lewis, a Uni-
versity of Chicago graduate student, along the lagoon
just north of the island. The bird allowed Lewis to get so
close he could study it without binoculars, but this indi-
vidual was less bold than his conspecific of 1972. Despite
diligent search, no one else ever saw it. We may have to
wait 14 years for another chance.

21

Copyright © Jim Zipp/Photo Researchers Inc.

Birds Sighted in Chicago's Jackson Park in Recent Years

(Wooded Island is located in Jackson Park)

Red-throated Loon'

Common Loon

Pied-billed Grebe

Homed Grebe

Eared Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

American Bittern

Least Bittern

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Tricolored Heron

Cattle Egret

Green-backed Heron

Black-crowned Night Heron

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Tundra Swan*

Mute Swan

Snow Goose

Canada Goose

Wood Duck

Green-winged Teal

American Black Duck

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Blue-winged Teal

Northern Shoveler

Gadwall

American Wigeon

Canvasback

Redhead

Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Oldsquaw
Black Scoter*
Surf Scoter*
White-winged Scoter*
Common Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Northern Goshawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
American Kestrel
Merlin

Peregrine Falcon
Ring-necked Pheasant
Black Rail

Virginia Rail

Sora

Common Moorhen

American Coot

Sandhill Crane

Black-bellied Plover

Lesser Golden Plover

Semipalmated Plover*

Piping Plover*

Killdeer

American Avocet*

Greater Yellowlegs

Lesser Yellowlegs

Solitary Sandpiper

Willet*

Spotted Sandpiper

Upland Sandpiper

Whimbrel*

Marbled Godwit*

Ruddy Turnstone '

Red Knot*

Sanderling*

Semipalmated Sandpiper"

Western Sandpiper'

Least Sandpiper

White-rumped Sandpiper*

Baird's Sandpiper'

Pectoral Sandpiper

Dunlin

Stilt Sandpiper'

Buff-breasted Sandpiper*
Short-billed Dowitcher*
Common Snipe
American Woodcock
Laughing Gull*
Franklin's Gull
Common Black-headed Gul
Bonaparte's Gull*
California Gull*
Herring Gull
Thayer's Gull*
Iceland Gull'
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Glaucous Gull'
Black-legged Kittiwake
Caspian Tern
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Black Tern
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
Monk Parakeet
Black-billed Cuckoo
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Eastern Screech Owl
Great Horned Owl
Snowy Owl *
Long-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl

View of Wooded Island and lagoon during the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. The]apanese buildings (the island's on!} structures), at the north
end, have been replaced try a garden .

22

Broad-winged Hawk

Common Nighthawk

Whip-poor-will

Chimney Swift

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Red-headed Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

Acadian Flycatcher

Alder Flycatcher

Willow Flycatcher

Least Flycatcher

Eastern Phoebe

Great Crested Flycatcher

Western Kingbird

Eastern Kingbird

Horned Lark

Purple Martin

Tree Swallow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Bank Swallow

Cliff Swallow

Barn Swallow

Blue Jay

American Crow

Black-capped Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

White-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Carolina Wren

House Wren

Winter Wren

Sedge Wren

Marsh Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Veery

Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
Water Pipit
Bohemian Waxwing
Cedar Waxwing
Northern Shrike
European Starling
White-eyed Vireo
Bell's Vireo
Solitary Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Philadelphia Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue-winged Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler

Townsend's Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Palm Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Prothonotary Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Ovenbird

Northern Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
Kentucky Warbler
Connecticut Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Wilson's Warbler "
Canada Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Summer Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Dickcissel

Rufous-sided Towhee
American Tree Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow
Brewer's Sparrow "
Field Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow

Grasshopper Sparrow
Henslow's Sparrow
Le Conte's Sparrow
Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Harris' Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Oregon J unco
Snow Bunting
Bobolink

Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Western Meadowlark
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Rusty Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Northern Oriole
Pine Grosbeak
Purple Finch
House Finch
Common Redpoll
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

'Sighted along Jackson Park's Lake
Michigan shoreline

Adult.

Northern Saw-whet Owl Immature-

The above list is based on the observations of many persons, but the editor i
here.

particularly indebted to Harriet Rylaarsdam and Doug Anderson for its preparation

23

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Millipede Hording

A Curious Phenomenon of Nature

fry Joseph Hannibal and Cassandra Talerico

"I Recall Very Clearly the afternoon when our small
field party chanced upon this striking mass of mil-
lipeds,*" wrote Rainer Zangerl, curator emeritus of fossil
fishes at Field Museum and former chairman of the
Department of Geology. "We approached a small valley
in the eastern bluffs of Indiana's Pleistocene Wabash
Valley northeast of Montezuma. An old, rotten barn
stood at the mouth of this valley in a pasture. When we
got close to the barn we noticed a large number of mil-
lipeds in the grass; as we entered the valley, which is
wooded with the typical forest of this area, the millipeds
markedly increased in number.

"They were all over the floor of the valley, in many
places so thick that one had to look for vacant places to
step. The milliped density decreased up the slopes
(where it was distinctly drier than on the valley floor).
The smell of hydrogen cyanide [exuded by some mil-
lipedes as a defense mechanism] in the bottom of the
valley was so potent that we did not linger there very
long. All millipeds seemed to be adult and of uniform
size. There was no way we could have estimated their
numbers since many were probably beneath leaf litter
and many of those visible were in clumps."

Zangerl's curious observation, made while leading
a paleontological field trip in June, 1959, though
not unique, was highly unusual. Similar instances of
millipedes gathering in enormous hordes have been
recorded in other parts of the world, but no fully satisfac-
tory explanation of this truly awesome — even intimida-
ting— sight has been put forth.

Millipedes are multi-segmented arthropods com-
prising the class Diplopoda. Worldwide in distribution,
they include some 10,000 species and range in size from
less than 4mm (about 1/6") long to about 28cm (7").
They differ from their close relatives the centipedes in
having two pairs of legs on most body segments; cen-
tipedes have one pair per segment. Millipedes (unlike

Joseph Hannibal is associate curator of invertebrate paleontology at
the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Cassandra Talerico, at |
the time this article was prepared, was an assistant in invertebrate ,
24 paleontology at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

S

some centipedes) are also quite harmless and they spend
most of their time out of sight in dark, damp habitats,
such as leaf litter and garden compost piles. Millipede
hordes — sometimes called "migrating armies" — have
been reported in all the continents except Antarctica.
In North America they have been seen in a number of
areas, including Illinois and nearby states.

Hording by the same species seen by Zangerl
(Pleuroloma flavipes ' ' ) has been documented a number
of times. Frank Young, of Indiana University, reported a
June 1957 sighting in the Proceedings of the Indiana Aca-
demy of Sciences. His observations were similar to
Zangerl's: "When the dead leaves on the forest floor were
lifted, hundreds [of millipedes] were uncovered feeding
and moving about at every point examined over an area
about 30 feet long by 20 feet wide. In places in which the
leaf mat was intact one could hear the millipedes feeding
below, and the whole area had a distinct odor of crushed
cherry leaves due to the HCN gas released from the re-
pugnatorial glands of the millipeds."

Millipede hordes encountered in woodlands create
no problem other than possible revulsion or fear — which
is not warranted since the creatures are completely
harmless, but in areas of human traffic they have some-
times been disruptive. Large aggregations on railroads
halted trains in Hungary in 1878, in France in 1900, and
in Germany in 1906 and 1938.

Millipede swarms overran residential areas north of
Dayton, Ohio, in 1963 and 1964 — events documented
byj. M.Ramsey ofthe University of Day ton intheO/u'o
journal of Science. He identified the millipedes as Pseudo-
polydesmus serratus (like Pleuroloma flavipes, a "flat-
backed" species). The millipedes traveled at night and
sought cover during the day, Ramsey reported, and their
swarms were "a source of aggravation and alarm to a
number of property owners."

In August and September of 1902 an invasion ofthe
Ohio State University area, in Columbus, was reported

" "MiUiped" is an alternate spelling of "millipede."
'formerly named Zinaria butleri and Fontaria virginiensis.

■^^^mimmifm^

by Max Morse in Science: "Complaints were made by re-
sidents along adjacent avenues of the numbers of these
'worms,' as they were called, which covered the side-
walks and terraces and even entered the residences.
Often in passing along the paths running in the campus
it was found to be difficult, if not impossible, to avoid
crushing numbers at every step."

Millipede hordes are usually short-lived, but they
can be persistent, as the residents of Streamwood, a Chi-
cago suburb, discovered in 1962. The villagers tried
lime, muriatic acid, ammonia, DDT, various chemical
sprays, and even gasoline, with little effect against the
army.

Most instances of hording are apparently one-time
events where they have been observed, but recurrences
| are known. Beginning in the spring of 1958 and continu-
ing every spring for several years thereafter, large
aggregations of millipedes appeared on a farm near
Paintsville, Kentucky, apparently feeding on rotting
vegetables and animal fodder. One year the horde was so
overwhelming that the farmer resorted to a propane
blowtorch to burn them from the walls of his house.

Cedar Point, Ohio, now the site of an amusement
park, has also been the chosen spot for recurring aggrega-

Photo made by Rainer Zangerl in 1959 of hording millipedes in Indiana's
Wabash Valley. Courtesy Rainer Zangerl.

tions. In the early years of this century, Pleuroloma
hordes were observed there on several occasions.

Moisture is one of the factors to consider in trying
to explain millipede hording. Frank Young found that
Pleuroloma flavipes moved more slowly under humid con-
ditions, aggregating in damper parts of the woodland
floor. Rainer Zangerl observed the same species
aggregating in particularly large numbers in a dry stream
bed — a relatively moist habitat. Many aggregations
appear to correlate with rainfall activity. A sighting in an
arid region of New Mexico was recorded during that re-
gion's rainy season. Periodic mass appearances in India
occur during the annual rains. In the Midwest, mil-
lipedes have been reported crawling up telephone poles
just before rainfall. Swarming before a rain has also been
observed in Louisiana.

Additional factors may be the availability of pre-
ferred food and habitat. A number of invasions have
been reported in the east central states, where dense for-
ests, with abundant leaf litter and other organic mate-
rial, provide shelter, moisture, and food — an ideal
millipede habitat.

Some specialists, including the noted English
biologist J.L. Cloudsley-Thompson, believe that
aggregating may be stimulated by a complex of environ-
mental factors, such as the effects of soil humidity and
texture on the hatching of millipede eggs.

While the causes of hording remain elusive, there
are steps one can take to control them. Charles T
Behnke, Ohio Agricultural Cooperative Extension
agent, recommends the removal of organic material,
such as grass clippings, from areas near the house. Home
invasions may be prevented by such basic measures as
sealing basement doors and other openings. A variety of
insecticides are also now recommended. But since the
aggregations are usually short-lived, and millipedes pose
no physical threat to man, insecticides may not always
be warranted.

A useful course of action, in any case, may be to
take photos of the horde, as Zangerl did, and collect a
number of specimens to pass on to a specialist. It may
also be productive to contact the specialist immediately,
so that he may have the opportunity to observe and
record this curious event. ¥M

The authors are indebted to several colleagues for aid in preparing this
article: Rainer Zangerl allowed us to quote from his unpublished account of
his discovery of the mass aggregation in Parke County, Indiana. Richard L.
Miller, of the Ohio State Cooperative Extension Service, supplied us with
information about hording events at Streamwood, Illinois, and Paintsville,
Kentucky. Rowland M. Shelley, of the North Carolina State Museum of
Natural History, provided many helpful comments on an earlier draft,
substantially improving this article.

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FIELD
MUSEUM
TOURg1

Tours projected
for 1987

include Peru,

China, the Galapagos,

Hawaii, Canada's

Queen Charlotte

Islands, New Zealand,

and — aboard the Sea Cloud

— the western

Caribbean, Tikal, and

the Yucatan.

Dear Field Museum Member,

Have you ever considered a Field Museum tour?

I'd like to tell you about our tours — from "Bon Voyage!" to "Wel-
come Home!" We feel our tours are exceptional because each has
one of the Museum's curators as a tour leader, and this individual
takes an active part in tour preparation.

There are many things to see and do before you're really on your
way. Before any tour departs, we plan an Orientation Meeting for
all the tour participants. This gives everyone the opportunity to meet
the curator who will lead the tour, and also to hear an informative
lecture, illustrated with slides. It also gives the travellers a chance to
ask questions pertaining to the natural and/or social history of the
tour. We go over the itinerary, and I am always there to answer
questions about logistics.

In March/April of this year we featured a New Zealand tour, which
coincided with the Museum's "Te Maori" exhibition. The exhibit
provided an informative lecture series, as well as the opportunity to
view outstanding artifacts — an exciting introduction to the New
Zealand trip!

If you see an announced tour which particularly appeals to you, just
send an advance deposit of $50 per person to the Field Museum's
Tours office, to ensure your place. You will be notified about all
upcoming activities related to the tour, and the deposit is completely
refundable should you change your mind prior to the first installment
payment.

Advanced planning assures a successful and memorable trip. Pass-
ports, visas, inoculations, insurance and currency rates must be
taken into consideration. What's the mean temperature and average
rainfall? The age-old questions of what to pack and who else is
going? Is there a detailed itinerary, and can you find a reading list to
find out what you'd really like to see!* How can you be reached
during an emergency?* Window or aisle? All these arrangements are
completed for you by our office.

When you travel with Field Museum, you travel with a purpose.
Your Tour Leader is a constant source of information about the coun-
try's flora, fauna, and cultural heritage. Someone is always there to
regulate or adjust transportation, lodging, and meals.

For reservations, call or write Dorothy Roder (322-8862), Tours Manager, Field Museum,
Roosevelt Rd. at Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, II 60605

hen the tour is completed, it's still not really over, because we
i touch. We also arrange for a reunion party, to relive the
mce and share photographs and stories. Resides, we find that
r participants' suggestions and comments are extremely help-
d ensure that we continue to plan tours which reflect what you
o see and experience.

look over the list opposite, which presents some of the 1987
ow under consideration. If you'd like more information,
contact me. One of the nicest things about my position at
Auseum is the joy of sharing your expectations for a never-to-
otten trip, so I'd love to hear from you.

ily yours,
1

9f. s£~*^t_^

y S. Roder

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27

.v>.

Field Museum of Natural History
Membership Department
Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive
Chicaso, IL 60605-2499

MISS MARITA MAXEY
7411 NORTH GREENVIEU
CHICAGO IL 60626

FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY BULL

October 1986

Field Museum Looks to Its 2nd Century

Field Museum
of Natural History
Bulletin

Published by

Field Museum of Natural History

Founded 1893

President: Willard L. Boyd

Editor/ Designer: David M. Walsten
Production Liaison: Pamela Steams
Staff Photographer: Ron Testa

Board of Trustees

Richard M. Jones,

Chairman
Mrs. T. Stanton Armour
George R. Baker
Robert O. Bass
Gordon Bent
Mrs. Philip D. Block in
Willard L. Boyd
Robert D. Cadieux
Henry T. Chandler
Worley H. Clark
Frank W. Considine
Stanton R. Cook
William R. Dickinson, Jr.
Thomas E. Donnelley II
Thomas J. Eyerman
Marshall Field
Ronald J. Gidwitz
Clarence E. Johnson
John James Kinsella
Hugo J. Melvoin
Leo F. Mullin
Earl L. Neal
James J. O'Connor
Robert A. Pritzker
James H. Ransom
John S. Runnells
Patrick G. Ryan
William L. Searle
Mrs. Malcolm N. Smith
Robert H. Strotz
Mrs. Theodore D. Tieken
E. Leland Webber
Blaine J. Yarrington

Life Trustees

Harry O. Bercher
Bowen Blair
Mrs. Edwin J. DeCosta
Clifford C. Gregg
William V. Kahler
William H. Mitchell
Edward Byron Smith
John W. Sullivan
J. Howard Wood

CONTENTS

October 1986
Volume 57, Number 9

October Events at Field Museum

Centennial Directions:

Field Museum Looks to Its Second Century

Field Museum Tours

26

Available Now at the Field Museum Store

IRANIAN ADVENTURE

The First Street Expedition

by William S. and Janice K. Street
with Richard Sawyer

$14.95

10% discount for Field Museum members

softcover

320 pages, with color plates

and black-and-white illustrations

PUBLISHED BY FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Many couples approaching sixty and planning retirement might buy a
camper and think about a little serious fishing. Bill and Jan Street
bought two Travelalls, hired Doug Lay, a young mammalogist, and
took off to scour the mountains, deserts, and river valleys of Iran for
wildlife specimens to enrich Field Museum's collections. They started
by hunting red sheep two miles high in the Elburz Mountains and
went on from there. During the next six months, they traveled nearly
15,000 miles and collected nearly 3,500 mammals, from bears to bats.
They also collected hundreds of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish,
complete with thousands of fleas, ticks, and mites — all equally valu-
able for study. Thanks to their efforts, Field Museum now houses one
of the world's finest collections of Iranian fauna.

But as history moved on, the Streets found that they had also
captured a last view of an ancient culture on the brink of change. Their
notes and photographs illuminate the vast political eruption that fol-
lowed. This, and the lengthening roll of research papers based on
their collections, gives lasting value to the Iranian adventures of three
Americans who learned the scientific expedition business by doing it.

Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin {USPS 898-940) is published monthly, except combined July/August issue, by Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive,
Chicago, IL 60605-2496. © 1986 Field Museum of Natural History. Subscriptions: $6.00 annually. $3.00 for schools. Museum membership includes Bulletin subscription. Opinions expressed by
authors are their ownand do not necessarily reflect the policy of Field Museum. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. Museum phone: (312) 922-9410. Notification of address change should
include address label and be sent to Membership Department. Postmaster: Please send form 3579 to Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496.
ISSN: 0015-0703. Second class postage paid at Chicago. Illinois.

T

Events

"T

Dinosaur Days — A Month of Fun

Saturdays and Sundays in October
11:00 am-4:00pm.

DINOSAURS may have vanished 65 million years ago,
but you can find them again at Field Museum. All
junior paleontologists are welcome weekends in
October for our annual Dinosaur Days celebration.
Help create a giant dinosaur or design and build a
smaller replica of your own. Recognize different
types of dinosaurs by creating a dinosaur hat. Make
tracks to a display of dinosaur footprints, listen to
stories, enter the Dinosaur Olympics, and much
much more.

Have fun while examining our prehistoric earth. All
programs are free with Museum admission and tick-
ets are not required. A complete schedule of activities
is available at the Museum entrances on Dinosaur
Days. For more information,
call (312) 322-8854.

Child's Play Touring Theatre

Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19

2:00 pm.

Stanley Field Hall

JOIN IN Child's Play Touring Theatre's "Drama of
the Dinosaurs." You might meet some of the lesser
known dinosaurs, such as the Sillyosaurus — a very
silly dinosaur, the Leanosaurus who cannot seem to
stand up straight, and the Triceratops Dentist who
takes care of them all. This unique theatre company
transforms the stories and poems of Chicago area
children into plays and songs for the delight of all
ages. Still, they will need your help in the prehistoric
production, so come and play with Child's Play
Touring Theatre.

This program is free with Museum admission and
tickets are not required.

Family Feature

Time Marches On

October 11 and 12
1:00-3:00 pm.

SCIENTISTS BELIEVE the earth celebrated its 4 bil-
lionth birthday before dinosaurs appeared. What was
walking, swimming, crawling, or flying around be-
fore that? What did our planet look like? Draw your
ideas on our giant time line and take a look at our
world of long ago.

Family features are free with museum admission and
tickets are not required.

~ •—'- '-■:" - CONTINUED-*

T

Events

^\

Continental Drift: An Update

Saturday, October 25, 2:00p.m.
James Simpson Theatre
Tickets $5.00 (Members: $3.00)

The Theory of Continental Drift explains the
development of earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains,
and oceans. Still, this theory was not accepted until
the 1960s. Join three leading scientists in a panel dis-
cussion on our drifting continents.

Panel members include:

Dr. Ursula Marvin

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Dr. L.W. Morley

Adjunct Professor in the Center for Research in

Experimental Space Science and The Department

of Earth and Atmospheric Science

York University; Ontario, Canada

Dr. Jack Oliver

Professor and Director of the Consortium for
Continental Reflection Profiling
Cornell University; Ithaca, New York

Moderator:

Mr. Paul Sipiera

Associate Professor of Earth Sciences

Harper College; Palatine, Illinois

October Weekend Programs

Each Saturday and Sunday you are invited
to explore the world of natural history at Field
Museum. Free tours, demonstrations, and films re-
lated to ongoing exhibits at the Museum are designed
for families and adults. Listed below are only a few of
the numerous activities each weekend. Check the
Weekend Programs sheet upon arrival for the com-
plete schedule and program locations. The programs
are partially supported by a grant from the Illinois
Arts Council.

October

4 11 :30am. Ancient Egypt (tour). Explore the
traditions of ancient Egypt from everyday life to
myths and mummies.

5 1:00pm. Welcome to the Field (tour). Enjoy a
sampling of our most significant exhibits as you ex-
plore the scope of Field Museum.

These programs are free with Museum admission
and no tickets are required.

Registration

Be sure to complete all requested information on the
ticket application. If your request is received less than
one week before the program, tickets will be held in
your name at the West Entrance box office. Please

□ Member

□ Nonmember

American Express/Visa/MasterCard

Card Number

Expiration Date

Signature

Return complete ticket application with
a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Field Museum of Natural History
Public Programs: Department of Education
Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605-2497

Have you enclosed your self-addressed stamped envelope?

make check payable to Field Museum. Tickets will be
mailed upon receipt of check. Refunds will be made
only if the program is sold out.

Name

Address

City

State

Zip

Telephone: Daytime

"Continental Drift: An Update"

Evening

Member
Tickets

# Requested

Nonmember

Tickets
# Requested

Total

Tickets

Requested

Amount

The Field Museum of Natural History, south aspect

Centennial Directions

Field Museum Looks to Its Second Century

Centennial Directions

SUMMARY

.Envisioned as the permanent legacy of the Columbian
Exposition, Field Museum was created as a repository of
encyclopedic collections reflecting the diversity of the
earth's environments and cultures. The Museum was also
to discover and disseminate knowledge based on these col-
lections. Over time the Museum has become one of the
four major natural history museums in the world.

Looking to its centennial in 1993, Field Museum of
Natural History has engaged in a comprehensive self
examination of how best to serve as a collections based
center of research and public understanding in its second
century.

The challenge to such a center is unprecedented. The
world has become a more congested place generating in-
tense pressures on nature and society. The scope of natural
history research has broadened dramatically with the pro-
liferation of new methods and technologies. Public interest
and understanding are difficult to secure, given the array of
media and leisure activities competing for attention.

In confronting this challenge, the Museum has rec-
ognized that it has two distinct missions requiring dis-
tinctly different approaches. The research institute
focuses on scholarship and the nation's research needs;
the public museum serves diverse public needs for educa-
tion and entertainment. To pursue these two missions,
the Museum has reorganized itself into a research institute
and a public museum, with a set of institutional support
systems underpinning the dual mission.

The Research Institute

The research institute is responsible for the care of — and
addition to — collections as well as the conduct of active
research.

Natural science and anthropology collections are a
key element in the nation's research infrastructure. Field
Museum collections exceed 16 million specimens and are
of international significance in their breadth, depth, and
quality. We will selectively add to these collections in our
areas of strength in anthropology, biology, and geology.
We will make the collections more accessible through
improved conservation, adequate storage, computerization
and inter-institutional loans.

Natural science and anthropological collections
6 based research is fundamental to the life, environmen-

tal, and social sciences as well as to the arts and human-
ities. Field Museum staff and research associates will
continue to engage in fundamental research in anthro-
pology, geology, and biology. We will focus our research
efforts on two principal areas:

* Evolutionary Biology,

* Anthropology, with particular emphasis on the nature
of socio-cultural change and stability in the evolution of
ethnic diversity.

We will also be an active participant in graduate
and undergraduate education in Chicago and the
nation.

The Public Museum

With one of the largest public museum spaces in the
United States, Field Museum serves a large and diverse
visitor constituency with a wide range of exhibits and
programs. To provide even more varied experiences to
its visitors, the Museum has adopted a new approach to
exhibits and programs which involves three different but
interrelated formats:

* Informal, interactive exhibits and programs which will be
directly accessible to virtually any visitor.

* Major thematic exhibits which will provide broad over-
views of natural history subjects and will highlight the
Museum's collections.

* Study halls which will make available in depth re-
sources on specific subjects for the visitor seeking a more
comprehensive treatment of the subject matter and
collections.

To enhance visitor use of the Museum, we will also
build on our strong program of school services and ini-
tiate a community outreach effort to help the Museum
better reach the broadest spectrum of Chicago's people.
In addition a major marketing initiative will be under-
taken to increase awareness of the Museum and to foster
the perception of Field Museum as human, approach-
able, and fun.

Institutional Support

To fulfill its dual mission the Museum requires support
from a range of human and financial resources within
and outside the Museum.

Herpetologist Robert F. Inger (standing) and visiting scientist Yang Datong, of the People's Republic of China, view frog specimens in
collection storeroom. The Department of Zoology hosted nearly 1, 500 professional visitors from 1981 to 1985. William Burlingham photo.

* Private support: In addition to strengthening its sup-
port from the business community and foundations,
Field Museum must dramatically increase the number of
individual givers to the Museum. To increase individual
support of the Museum, we will institute a more active
membership program to involve more people in the
Museum and interest groups to build their commitment.

* Public support: Continued support from the Park Dis-
trict is essential, along with support from the State of
Illinois.

* Earned Income: We will increase earned income by
increasing the number of visitors, our charges, and by
improving the museum services for which we charge.

* Endowment: We will maintain the endowment's cur-

rent percentage of our support through capital contribu-
tions and investment management.
* Joint programs: Because Field Museum's financial re-
sources for research are limited, we must strengthen our
relationships through joint programs with universities,
national laboratories and related governmental research
agencies.

To marshall these resources the Museum has em-
barked on an ambitious capital campaign — Time Future
from Time Past.

These Centennial Directions require dedicated
staff, volunteers and friends who are committed to being
the best. Armed with a vision and a realistic plan, Field
Museum will meet the challenge of its second century.

CENTENNIAL DIRECTIONS

INTRODUCTION

In 1993 Field Museum of Natural History will celebrate
its hundredth anniversary. In this first century, the
vision and commitment of its founders and their suc-
cessors have made Field Museum one of the four great
natural history museums. To ensure that the Museum
will continue to build on its accomplishments in its sec-
ond century, Museum staff and trustees undertook a
centennial planning process, with the assistance of
McKinsey & Company, Inc.

That participatory process focused on what the
Museum must do to achieve excellence in its two basic
missions — as a research institute for the study of natural
history and as a public museum devoted to stimulating
interest in and building knowledge of natural history.
Specific programmatic and financial goals have been

formulated, and the Museum's Board of Trustees has be-
gun a capital funding campaign designed to bring those
goals within reach and to help the Museum achieve a
leadership role in research and public education.

This Centennial Directions statement reports on
the present state of the Museum and sets forth the ac-
tions the Museum must take to:

* Build its position as an excellent research institution
in the mainstream of basic research in the United States

* Extend its influence as a public museum committed to
public understanding of natural history

* Provide the full range of institutional support required
to carry out these two major missions

The following sections of this report discuss each of
these challenges in turn.

An Excellent Research Institution
of Natural History

Field Museum of Natural History holds a major place in
natural science research in the United States. Its collec-
tions are renowned nationally and internationally for
their breadth, depth, and quality. Collection-based
research is vital to the nation's research effort and makes
scholarship a thriving force in the life of the Museum.

Maintaining and building on its excellence as a
research institution will require major ongoing efforts by
the Museum. Simply maintaining the existing collec-
tions is in itself an enormous undertaking; building the
collections and associated research efforts are particular
challenges in view of the limited funding now available
for basic research. To advance its position as a leading
research institution, Field Museum must work to:

* Maintain and build selected collections

* Position its research programs as key contributors to
the mainstream of basic research.

Maintain and Build Collections

Natural science and anthropological collections are a

key element in the nation's research infrastructure.

8 These cataloged specimens and artifacts provide primary

source material for exploring the history, variety, limits,
and possibilities of the world's flora, fauna, and people.
With more than sixteen million artifacts and biological
specimens, Field Museum's collections are an irreplace-
able international resource.

They rank third in the nation in size, surpassed only
by the National Museum of Natural History of the
Smithsonian Institution and the American Museum of
Natural History. Field Museum's collections rank second
in breadth. They are grouped into three major catego-
ries: anthropology, biology (including paleontology),
and physical geology (Exhibit 1, page 10). Although
Field Museum rarely holds the largest major collection of
a particular type, its holdings almost always rank among
the top three or four in the nation. The anthropological
holdings number over 600,000 items and are the fourth
largest collection in the nation. Plant specimens
numbering over two million constitute the fifth largest
collection nationwide. Our animal and plant fossil col-
lections are among the top three or four nationally, and
our zoological specimens number more than twelve mil-
lion and rank third or fourth in the United States.

The Museum's large, in-depth collections are rec-
ognized by our national and international peers through
their use of the collections and support of our grant pro-
posals. For both research and exhibition, the Museum is

a net lender nationally and internationally, loaning
many more objects than it borrows. In the past five
years, the Museum has hosted professional visits by
4,904 scientists (Exhibit 2, page 11). In addition, the
Biological Research Resources Program of the National
Science Foundation (NSF) recognizes Field Museum as a
major scientific resource. Field Museum ranked fourth
in the nation with NSF dollar awards in recent years,
with collection grants totaling more than $2.8 million,
or 8.1 percent of the NSF budget for systematic collec-
tions (Exhibits 3, 4, page 11). Scholars at universities
and other museums — the primary users of museum
collections — constitute the grant proposal review
community.

The quality of a collection is a function of its depth,
the amount and quality of the data base associated with
the objects, the accessibility of the objects and the data
base, the conservation of the objects, and their storage
environment. By these criteria, Field Museum's collec-
tions are of world stature. Our staff has provided national
leadership in collection preservation and management.
We were among the first to use computers and data base
software for collection management; we have estab-
lished modern conservation facilities for anthropolog-
ical material; and we have increased and upgraded
collection storage space.

Moving into the Museum's second century, we must
continue to strengthen our leadership in collection
preservation and management. Caring for specimens
and related data bases is a significant challenge essential
to maintaining the Museum's collection strength. In
addition, we must make the collections as accessible for
scholarly research and educational use as possible. Just as
important, we must add selectively to our collections in
areas of particular strength, taking into account not only
our own long-term institutional collection objectives
but national and regional objectives as well.

To meet these challenges we plan to:

* Work with peer research institutions, government
agencies, and the national scientific community to
develop a plan for national and regional centers of
collection excellence in natural science and anthropol-
ogy. The focus of these centers will guide us in adding to
Field Museum's collections.

* Add selectively to collections in Field Museum's clear-
ly established areas of strength through fieldwork,

purchases, and gifts in kind.

* Provide adequate staffing for conservation and man-
agement of the collections.

* Provide modern computer and research equipment
and adequate storage facilities for collection conserva-
tion, management, and research.

* Maintain and add selectively to our library — one of
the premier natural science and anthropological libraries
in the Western Hemisphere.

Position Research Programs in Mainstream

Natural science and anthropological collection-based
research is fundamental to the life, environmental, and
social sciences as well as to the arts and humanities. In
addition to its contribution to pure science, basic collec-
tions research helps lay the foundation for advances in
agriculture, medicine, environmental control, and nat-
ural resource development.

Field Museum staff and research associates engage
in fundamental research in anthropology, geology, and
biology. The Museum is a basic research institution in its
own right and a vital participant in graduate and under-
graduate education in Chicago and the nation. Our
research is primarily collection-oriented and observa-

Anthropologist John Terrell studies why the people of the Pacific
islands are so diverse in biology, customs, and language. William
Burlingham photo.

CENTENNIAL DIRECTIONS

Exhibit 1

Collection Size

Number of National

Collection, January 1, 1986 Specimens Rank in Size

ANTHROPOLOGY

Central American Archaeology 1 1 , 724 5

Central American Ethnology 2,633 3

South American Archaeology 16,882 4

South American Ethnology 7,867 4

North American Archaeology 134,681 3

North American Ethnology 99,462 3

Human Skeletal Collection 4,750 4

Polynesian Ethnology/Archaeology 5,265 4

Micronesian Ethnology/ Archaeology 1 1 ,263 4

Asian Archaeology 1 , 196 10

Asian Ethnology 50,927 6

Sumerian Archaeology 25 , 202 3

Near Eastern Ethnology 665 6

Old World Prehistory 161,255 2

Classical Archaeology 11, 780 4

African and Madagascar Ethnology 16,423 3

Australian Ethnology 2, 1 26 2

Melanesian Ethnology 36,012 1

Subtotal 600,113

BOTANY

Algae 77,631 3

Fungi 79,734 12

Lichens 51,780 8

Bryophytes (Mosses) 150,286 4

Ferns 92,000 4

Seed Plants 1,865,402 5

Subtotal 2,316,833

GEOLOGY

Physical Geology 62,227 3

Invertebrate and Plant Paleontology 380,784 3

Vertebrate Paleontology 129,781 4

Subtotal 572,792

ZOOLOGY

Invertebrates 3,235,000 6

Insects 7,050,000 10

Fishes 1,600,000 7

Amphibians and Reptiles 234,924 4

Birds 373,000 3

Mammals 126,680 7

Subtotal 12,619,604

GRAND TOTAL 16,109,342

Exhibit 2

Department

Anthropology

Botany

Geology

Scholarly Use of Field Museum Collections
1981-1985

Number of
Number Specimens

of Loans Loaned

127 4,974.

.. 1,180 135,567.

912 10,133.

Professional
Visitors

1,429

973

1,010

Zoology 1,516 200,427 1,492

Totals (5 yrs) 3,735 351,101 4,904

Exhibit 3

National Science Foundation

Biological Research Resources Program

Summary of Awards 1972-1984

Award

1. Harvard University $5,260,000

2. American Museum of Natural History $3,869,000

3. California Academy of Sciences $3,173,000

4. Field Museum of Natural History $2,882,000

5. Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia $2,704,000

6. New York Botanical Garden $2,484,000

7. University of Michigan $2,481,000

8. Missouri Botanical Garden $2,112,000

9. Bernice P. Bishop Museum $1,890,000

10. Los Angeles County Museum $1,636,000

Total $28,491,000

Exhibit 5

National Science Foundation

Systematic Biology Program Awardees

Top Ten Recipients

1975-1979

(in order of total amount awarded)

1. University of California, Berkeley

2. University of Texas

3. Harvard University

4. Missouri Botanical Garden

5. University of Michigan

6. New York Botanical Garden

7 . University of Kansas

8. Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia

9. Field Museum of Natural History
10. University of Connecticut

Note: The rank of institutions is based on the total dollars awarded to individual
researchers at the institutions.

Exhibit 4

National Science Foundation

Biological Research Resources Program

1972-1984

Support for Field Museum Biological Collections

Collection National Rank* Dollar Amount

Botany 6 $537,000

Mollusks - —

Insects 4 $808,000

Fishes 5 $370,900

Reptiles 6 $141,400

Birds 6 $165,000

Mammals 2 $548,200

Fossil Invertebrates - —

Fossil Vertebrates 4 $31 1,800

'rank by total dollars awarded Total $2,882,300

Exhibit 6

Grants Awarded to the Museum's
Curatorial Departments
1979-1985

Anthropology Botany Geology Zoology Total

Research

Government ... 5 15 9 20 49

Private ... 0 2 2 20 24

Collection

Government ... 13 3 3 6 25

Publications/
Symposia

Government ... 2 0 5 0 7

11

CENTENNIAL DIRECTIONS

Exhibit 7

Countries Visited

for Research Purposes

by Field Museum Scientists

1975-1985

13

CENTENNIAL DIRECTIONS

tional or theoretical in nature. Consequently, most of
our research programs are either active field studies (ex-
peditions), which add to the Museum's collections, or
studies of museum holdings. In addition, in support of
exhibitions and education, we do review research for
exhibit outlines, catalogs, and public lectures.

Field Museum has a significant record of expedi-
tions world-wide. In the past ten years alone, 68 Field
Museum researchers have conducted 216 field studies in
54 countries (Exhibit 7, page 12). These field efforts
have been the basis of major ongoing research programs
and have been instrumental in building the collections
and their associated data bases.

In scholarly publication — an indicator of achieve-
ment in basic research — our record is similarly impres-
sive. Our research staff have reported on their findings
in 487 journal articles, monographs, and books over the
past seven years. The quality of the research is evidenced
by its publication in peer-reviewed journals and by the
amount of reference it receives. Papers by Field Museum
curators were published in 90 different peer-reviewed
journals over the last nine years. In addition requests for
back issues of Fieldiana (Field Museum's research jour-
nal) and citations indicate that many of our major
monographic works are heavily used.

Over the past five years, Field Museum curators
have served on more than 60 doctoral thesis com-
mittees, and 53 graduate students have worked in resi-
dence at the Museum.

Grants are another form of recognition of research
quality. Field Museum scholars received 73 research
grants in a six-year period (Exhibit 6, page 11). As a
group, Field Museum biologists were ranked ninth in the
nation (out of 352 groups) in funding received between
1975 and 1979 from the Systematic Biology Program of
the National Science Foundation (Exhibit 5, page 11 ).

Field Museum's collection resources and strong
reputation among its peers are tremendous assets. To
achieve its potential in research, the Museum needs to
stand squarely in the mainstream of the American
research and academic communities. Field Museum
faces a significant challenge in sustaining a strong main-
stream position in research, because research funding is
usually geared to degree-granting institutions. With a
small professional staff, the Museum must have clear
research objectives and must collaborate with other
14 scholars and institutions to strengthen, expand, and fi-

nance collection-based research.

To ensure that its limited research resources are
used to maximum benefit, Field Museum will focus
research efforts on two principal areas:

* Evolutionary Biology. Our collections and research,
together with the University of Chicago and the Univer-
sity of Illinois (Chicago), make our city one of the
world's premier research centers in evolutionary biology.
The field encompasses some 20 million organisms and a
half billion extinct species. Basic research in evolution-
ary biology involves: recognizing, describing, and nam-
ing each of these organisms; discovering its specific place
and function in the diversity of life forms; investigating
the causes and consequences of that diversity; and
understanding the interdependence of living things with
each other and their physical environment.

* Anthropology. Within anthropology, Field Museum
places particular emphasis on the nature of sociocultural
change and stability and the evolution of ethnic diver-
sity. The anthropological collections provide material
evidence of humankind's societies and technologies, and
thereby shed light on the mechanisms of transmission,
evolution, and change in culture and society.

In addition to defining these two areas as a focus for
its research programs, the Museum has established a de-
tailed agenda for its research effort:

* To attract and retain staff of the highest caliber, and to
provide for them an environment that stimulates com-
mitment to excellence.

* To close the gap between available research funds and
program needs.

* To collaborate, formally and informally, with compa-
rable institutions and Illinois colleges and universities
on research and educational efforts, including joint
appointments and programs, adjunct research and
teaching relationships, postdoctoral fellowships, and
sharing of equipment. Such collaboration has a signifi-
cant role to play in positioning the Museum as a major
research institution.

* To encourage research on — and exhibition of — under-
utilized collections through research associates and visit-
ing curators. Doing so will help advance knowledge on
topics that are not necessarily in vogue at present and
will provide exposure for the collections.

* To encourage student use of collections through
graduate dissertation fellowships and graduate and
undergraduate research projects. The resulting links to

academic institutions will help keep the Museum in
touch with major currents in research.

* To enable exceptional visiting scholars to study and
work at Field Museum.

# To provide for the publication of major works based on
Field Museum collections and research.

* • *

Field Museum looks forward to its second century
with a drive to continue to expand its contribution to
natural history research. Maintaining its excellence in
collections and standing in the mainstream of natural
history research will help Field Museum make a major
research contribution while helping us better serve the
people of Chicago and the Midwest.

A Dynamic Public Museum

Field Museum is one of the largest public museums in the
United States and serves a large and diverse public with
a wide range of programs. Approximately half of the
Museum's 870,000 square feet is utilized for exhibits,
public programming, and assembly space. The Museum's
exhibits and public programs deal with the world's cul-
tures and physical environments. A full 54 percent of
the Museum's current exhibits are focused on anthropol-
ogy, and nearly all special exhibits have been arts and
humanities-oriented. The Museum also offers a broad

■ Exhibits

Field Museum Annual Attendance

millions
3.0

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

.5

1975 76 77 78 79 '80 '81 '82 '83 '84 1985

range of festivals, tours, workshops, performances, lec-
tures, and courses for preschool through adult audiences.
During 1985, 270,619 of our visitors participated in 720
special public programs. Since 1927, more than one mil-
lion people annually have visited Field Museum — far
more in 1933-34, during the Century of Progress Exposi-
tion, and in 1977, during the showing of "Treasures of
Tutankhamen" (Exhibit 8).

Field Museum serves a wide variety of constituen-
cies in and around Chicago:

* Family visitors, whether from the Chicago metropoli-
tan area or tourists from the Midwest and beyond, are
predominantly a well-educated audience coming to the
Museum for a relatively undemanding and entertaining
educational or cultural experience. Although they ar-
rive at the Museum as a loosely organized group, family
members have different interests, needs, and attention
spans, which the Museum must address.

* Schoolchildren and teachers still see museums primarily
as a place to break out of the classroom for the annual
spring field trip. Yet the limited resources of the schools
and the demands of the humanities, art, science, and
social studies curricula suggest that the rich resources of
the Museum can be an increasingly important educa-
tional complement and support to classroom work.

* Underserved inner-city people tend not to feel welcome
at museums and do not see them as relating to their daily
lives. However, Field Museum's resources could be orga-
nized to meet real community, family, and individual
needs for education and recreation.

* Serious students, collectors, and amateur scholars and sci-
entists could be the most focused users of the Museum's
vast resources. But as presently organized, the Museum is
difficult to grasp and penetrate and does not specifically
address this vital constituency.

In serving these groups of people, Field Museum
seeks both to entertain and to educate — much as does
educational television, now the primary source of nat-
ural history information for most of the general public.

Demographic shifts in greater Chicago, combined
with the increasing array of leisure options available,
pose distinct challenges to Field Museum in serving the
public. For example:

* Although most visitors view Field Museum positively,
they do not see it as particularly distinct from other
museums. This lack of a distinctive image is a problem,
because Chicago's museum-going population is not 15

CENTENNIAL DIRECTIONS

growing, and Field Museum must therefore compete
with the city's other museums for a limited number of
visitors.

* Many visitors see the Museum fairly narrowly, as the
home of dinosaurs, mummies, cavemen, and North
American Indians — suggesting that the Museum has
not communicated the breadth of its collections and
expertness.

* The suburban population of the collar counties is
growing, but their visits to Field Museum may be declin-
ing as suburbanites increasingly spend their leisure time
in their own communities. As the suburbs become more
established, they develop institutions of their own. Sub-
urbanites are discouraged from visiting the central city
because of travel time, congestion, cost, and perceived
lack of security.

* With the continued growth of the Hispanic commu-
nity, the majority of Chicago's population is Black and
Hispanic — two groups that have historically been under-
served by the Museum and underrepresented among its
visitors.

* The imposing scale and classical formality of the
building, the established position of the institution in
the community, and the solemn tone of the Museum
create the impression of a somewhat aloof and
unapproachable place — in direct contrast to the
Museum's recent emphasis on informal and accessible
programming.

Meeting these challenges is essential to tapping the
vitality of Field Museum and making it both an excellent
public museum of natural history and a wonderful place
to visit.

Field Museum aspires to be the institution that de-
fines "natural history" for the people of greater Chicago.
To move toward this goal, the Museum will:

* Renew its major thematic exhibits; to build in-depth
educational resources, and to offer informal exhibits and
programs, providing direct, hands-on experiences with
natural history materials and themes.

* Develop programs that address real community and
individual needs, appealing to people of various levels of
knowledge, from casual beginners to dedicated hob-
byists, collectors, and amateur scholars and scientists.

* Organize the Museum's vast information and human
resources to make them more understandable, access-
ible, and useable.

* Build an audience and staff that more closely reflect

the economic and ethnic diversity of Chicago, reaching
out to underserved communities.

* Lighten the public face of the Museum, making it
more human and approachable.

Key to achieving these goals will be a flexible and
dynamic approach to exhibits and public programs. Dur-
ing the next few years, the Museum will concentrate on
implementing this approach rather than mounting ma-
jor special exhibits. This approach will be supported and
reinforced by a variety of other initiatives — school pro-
grams, community outreach effortSj and a more focused
marketing approach. In the remainder of this section we
outline the Museum's new approach to exhibits and then
describe the supporting initiatives.

A New Approach to
Exhibits and Public Programs

To be an effective complement to educational television
in entertaining and educating the public on natural his-
tory, Field Museum needs to be an exciting place that
offers a range of challenging experiences. While televi-
sion can effectively overcome the limits imposed by
geography and time, a museum offers a chance to see and
interact with real materials — a direct experience rather
than an observation via the camera. It is also one of the
few user-paced, free-access learning and cultural experi-
ences available in the modem world. A museum is truly
a place of individual learning.

To reach the public with such experiences, exhibits
and programs need to be:

* Adaptable to the changing needs of the public

* Interesting and useful to people with different back-
grounds and levels of interest in the subject matter

* Useful as resource centers for the serious student, hob-
byist, and collector, who seeks a more comprehensive
treatment of the subject or theme

* Able to give an overview of subjects and themes to
millions of people.

To meet these diverse and often conflicting require-
ments, Field Museum plans to organize its public space
into three different but interrelated formats:

* Informal, interactive exhibits and programs, which will
be directly accessible to virtually any visitor

* Major thematic exhibits, which will provide broad over-
views of their subjects and highlight the Museum's
collections

* Study halls, which will make available in-depth re-
sources on specific subjects, for the visitor seeking a
more comprehensive picture of the subject matter and
collections.

In the remainder of this section we discuss each of
these formats.

Informal Exhibits and Programs

Concentrated in the arcade spaces surrounding Stanley
Field Hall and scattered throughout other exhibit areas,
informal exhibits and programs will cover single con-
cept, nonsequential themes. They are intended to be
accessible to even the most casual visitor and to involve
visitors in activities and direct experiences. They will
use few labels, specimens, or artifacts, relying instead on
interactive models, functional replicas, expendable
materials, and staff to tell their story. They will be engag-
ing, informal, playful, messy, noisy, and brightly lit.

Informal exhibits and programs can be quickly
developed and revised at low cost. They will change,
wear out, get used up, or simply be replaced by other,
more exciting materials and activities. The Museum
plans to begin putting some of these activities in place
very soon. Examples include:

sfc Exploring issues of size and scale — why various living
things are the sizes they are

* Stringing beads, weaving, scraping skins, making and
using primitive tools

* Sorting and classifying bones, birds, leaves, and
insects

* Handling live and preserved animal and plant
materials

* Experiencing an earthquake and manipulating a plate
tectonic model

* Building an adobe or wattle and daub wall

* Playing a seal-hunting simulation game

* Participating in an archaeological dig

* Playing moccasin, ring, and pin games

* Cooking and tasting foods from other cultures

* Watching and listening to informal presentations of
music, theatre, dance, puppetry, and storytelling

* Looking at how parenting and nurturing take place in
various parts of the plant and animal kingdoms. Such an
exhibit could be part of a play area for preschool chil-
dren, available as a service to family visitors.

Major Thematic Exhibits

These exhibits will be developed around major themes
in natural history and provide a broad overview of those
themes, drawing on materials from several subject areas
or Museum departments. They are intended to present
sequential topics in a dramatic and memorable way,
appealing to the interested public. These exhibits will
seek both to educate and entertain people with varying
levels of prior knowledge and interest. The emphasis will
be on displaying materials, conveying information, and
asking penetrating questions. These exhibits will not
carry the burden of providing the exhaustive detail
needed by the more serious student.

Major thematic exhibits will be set in carefully
designed environments that include controlled lighting,
sound, and climate. They will reflect the strengths of
Field Museum collections and will draw heavily on those
collections. The exhibits will also make use of models,
habitat groups, dioramas, media, simple interactive de-
vices, and headline labels. These exhibits will require
substantial development time and capital investment,
but lifetime costs will be reasonable because the exhibits
will be revised relatively infrequently. However, the-
matic exhibits can and should be revised and updated as
new information becomes available and new public
interests emerge.

Themes for major exhibits might include:

"Pacific Islands"

"Africa"

"Mexico and Central America"

"Adaptation and Evolution"

"Geologic Change"

Study Halls

Occupying the outermost ring of public spaces but im-
mediately adjacent to the thematic exhibits, the study
hall areas will afford the intrigued casual visitor, serious
student, or hobbyist an opportunity for concentrated,
in-depth and detailed exploration of collections, kits,
books, periodicals, photo archives, videotapes, record-
ings, and computer data bases. In conjunction with the
study hall, a staff member can facilitate access to other
human, programmatic, informational, and material re-
sources at Field Museum and other metropolitan Chi-
cago institutions. By providing this in-depth resource, 17

CENTENNIAL DIRECTIONS

study halls will free the thematic exhibits to focus on an
introduction and overview of the subject rather than an
exhaustive presentation. In addition, some curatorial
activities, including packing and unpacking for expedi'
tions, can be done in the study halls, so that the public
can see and better understand the activities that go on
behind the scenes at the Museum. These areas will be
comfortable, informal, quiet, multi-leveled spaces with
lots of seating and subdued natural lighting from re-
opened windows looking out onto the park.

Supporting Initiatives

While exhibits and general public programs are central
to the vitality and appeal of Field Museum, several oth-
er initiatives are needed to reinforce and broaden its
usefulness:

* School services that will help the Museum comple-
ment the formal educational system and further the stu-
dents' interest in and understanding of natural history.

* Community outreach efforts, to help the Museum
better serve the broadest spectrum of Chicago's people.

* Marketing initiatives to increase awareness of the
Museum and to foster the perception of Field Museum as
human, approachable, and fun.

More than 200,000 zoological specimens in the Field Museum
collection were loaned to researchers at other institutions between
1981 and 1985. William Burlingham photo.

School Services

Illinois law mandates that all Illinois students and teach-
ers be admitted free to museums located in public parks,
and Field Museum welcomes them. The Museum oper-
ates a number of formal educational programs geared to
Chicago-area schools. School attendance has ranged
from a high of 384,944 in 1969 to a low of 176,352 in
1981. New initiatives have increased attendance. Dur-
ing 1985 over 4,500 school groups, composed of 219,607
students and teachers, visited Field Museum to augment
their classroom studies. Free loans of dioramas and expe-
rience boxes were made to over 1,500 teachers and com-
munity organizations to prepare for their Museum visit
or for in-school study.

To improve the school programs, the Museum must
strengthen its relationships to elementary and secondary
school curricula and to relevant programs of community
and natural history organizations. Specifically, the
Museum should:

* Increase Museum usage training programs for teachers
and broaden them to include leaders of educational,
community, and natural history organizations

* Work more closely with schools and with community
and natural history organizations on joint curricular and
program planning

* Develop more classroom kits and other educational
materials for use away from the Museum.

Community Outreach

Although Field Museum serves a wide variety of con-
stituencies, it has a special responsibility to the people of
Chicago. We need to do a better job of serving all of
Chicago's people, and the Museum therefore plans to
establish an outreach program. This program will seek to
introduce the Museum to non-users, increase their com-
fort with it, and get Museum resources out where they
can be used to meet day-to-day community needs. The
program's mission will be to build long-term links to
community agencies, such as boys and girls clubs, Y's,
branch libraries, preschool and after school day care
centers, senior centers, settlement houses, day camps,
recreation centers, playgrounds, and park programs.

The exact nature of the outreach programs will de-
pend on the needs of each community. Programs might
include:

* Offering agency staff training in the use of resources
from Field Museum and other cultural institutions

* Circulating kits and other materials for use at those
sites

* Conducting museum-staffed programs at the agencies

* Scheduling a separate family open house every year for
each target community

* Building employment opportunities at the Museum
for members of those communities

* Developing an advisory committee for each commu-
nity.

Marketing

The primary goals of the Museum's marketing effort are
to attract more visitors to Field Museum and to broaden
their use of the Museum's resources. The first steps
toward this goal are to make exhibits and programs more
dynamic and to broaden their appeal. The role of
marketing in meeting these goals is to build public
awareness and recognition of the Museum and to create
a positive perception of the Museum as very approach-
able. In seeking to build this perception, marketing
efforts should:

* Present Field Museum as an exciting and con-
temporary center of natural history, focused on the
world's cultures and physical and biological enviroment.

* Convey the excitement and learning that comes from
a visit to or an association with the Museum.

While improvements in exhibits and programming
will generate word-of-mouth support, achieving these
goals requires coordination of all public information
materials issued by Field Museum, so as to present a uni-
fied and consistent image to the public. The Museum
should therefore develop a complete public communica-
tion program, including:

* A fresh, more coherent and welcoming Museum
identity program, including logo, typography, and edito-
rial style.

* Essential visitor communication tools:

/ Field Museum Guidebook (for sale at booths,
store)

/ Exhibit guides

* Outside directional and informational signage and
banners.

* Expanded media coverage:

y Paid advertising (radio, TV and print)

y Public service announcements (radio, TV, and
print)

y Print articles and features

y Calendar listings and events listings

y Special film and radio projects

y More direct personal involvement of Chicago
and national media personalities with the
Museum.

* Direct mailings from the Bulletin, Education,
Development, and Public Relations Departments. To be
cost efficient, direct mail should be designed, where pos-
sible, to generate measurable results, e.g. , return replies,
percentage response or return, tracking of phone call re-
sponse to the mailing.

* Direct contact via letters, phone calls, telethons, and
personal relationships.

In utilizing these marketing tools, we will focus on
the needs of each market segment and the most appro-
priate and cost-efficient means of reaching that
segment.

Field Museum enters its second century with many chal-
lenges ahead. By meeting these challenges we hope to
offer the public a more exciting and accessible learning
experience, drawing visitors at all levels into the
Museum and reaching out to the people of Chicago and
beyond.

Institutional Support

To fulfill its dual missions, the Museum requires support
from a range of human and financial resources within
and outside the Museum. Providing adequate institu-
tional support poses several challenges:

* Field Museum's Development function needs to
broaden its base of donor support, moving beyond
fundraising to institutional advancement.

* Finance and Museum Services can greatly increase its
contribution to the fundamental roles of the Museum by
improving many of the services it offers — from food ser-
vice to computer services.

* The entire Museum must continue to challenge itself
to achieve fiscal soundness — increasing the institution's
revenues while maintaining or reducing costs and setting
priorities for expenditures. 19

CENTENNIAL DIRECTIONS

* All departments within Field Museum must build
their ability to work cooperatively in support of the
Museum's dual mission, recognizing that people are the
Museum's greatest organizational resource.

In the remainder of this section, each of these four
points is discussed in turn.

Development as Institutional Advancement

The development effort needed at Field Museum is more
than fundraising; it is institutional advancement — the
process of repositioning Field Museum in the minds of its
support constituencies as needing and deserving of in-
creased support. Increasing understanding, involve-
ment, and support are the objectives of this process. In
addition, the Development staff must conduct a major
capital campaign while maintaining current levels of
annual giving.

If the development program is to adopt such a
thrust, this new concept and attitude must extend
beyond our Development staff to pervade the entire
Museum. Everyone must be a fund raiser and friend rais-
er for Field Museum. Board members, staff, and volun-
teers must work together in identifying opportunities for
improvement; in educating and involving various con-
stituencies; and in seeking increased project support and
funds for capital and operating support. In addition to
broadening the staff's commitment to the Development
function, the Museum must broaden its base of leaders,
volunteers, members and donors.

To compete effectively for time, attention, and
financial support, Field Museum must continue to shift
its emphasis from general donor programming toward
more targeted constituency development. Specifically,
the Museum must:

* Define its support groups more clearly and create
programs and activities more related to their special
interests.

* Strengthen its communications with these groups and
with the public at large, locally and nationally.

Targeted constituency development will require
considerably more planning, testing, program develop-
ment, and administrative organization than general
donor programming. The shift to a more targeted effort
will not happen overnight but such a shift is essential for
Field Museum, given current constituent development
20 patterns here and at other institutions.

As part of its effort to effect this shift in develop-
ment, Field Museum has articulated several specific
goals for its Development function:

* To expand the scope of Field Museum's constituency
development efforts by:

/ Broadening business solicitation to include
mediumsized commerce and industry prospects

y Broadening solicitation to more individuals, us-
ing more effective telephone, personalized mail,
and person-to- person contact to enlist donors
and upgrade giving patterns.

/ Broadening membership to 40,000 and creating
incentives for involvement and support by
members.

* To personalize development efforts by:

y Maintaining intensive personal contacts and
communication with present, deferred, and pro-
spective donors

y Organizing and staffing Museum interest groups
that can provide learning experiences for donors
and staff and can play crucial advisory, advocacy,
and support roles in specific areas. The Women's
Board and Founders' Council are stellar
examples.

y Emphasizing Museum visits as well as instituting
an outreach program to bring our message
directly to selected groups.

y Assisting Museum staff in applying for grant
support

y Maintaining government relations programs at
all levels

y Expanding research or project funding possibili-
ties

y Reporting regularly and comprehensively to
grantors on funded projects

* To cultivate gifts in kind to the Museum collections
as an essential complement to field trips in building
collections

More supportive Finance and Museum Services

Finance and Museum Services includes:

* Income-generating visitor centers (the Museum

Stores, Special Events, Food Services)

* Support Services (Facilities Planning and Operation,
Visitor Services and Security, Archives)

* Budget and Control (General Services, Purchasing,
and Finance)

* Human Resources.

Finance and Museum Services has several basic
responsibilities which include:

* Providing the essential services necessary to operate
and maintain the Museum — including heating, light-
ing, cooling, cleaning, maintaining, renovating,
equipping, servicing, and protecting the Museum's near-
ly one million square feet of research and public space

* Providing hosts for the Museum's visitors, along with
other services that should be appealing in their own
right as well as complementary to the Museum's public
programs

* Financial planning, budgeting, managing, and
reporting

* Providing Museumwide administrative computer
service.

To fulfill these responsibilities as effectively and

Botanist John Engel, specialist in liverworts (Hepaticae) of the
Southern Hemisphere. As a group, Field Museum biologists were
ranked ninth in the nation (out of 352 groups) in funding received
between 1975 and 1979 from the Systematic Biology Program of
the National Science Foundation. William Burlingham photo.

efficiently as possible, Finance and Museum Services has
set goals for providing services to Museum visitors and
support to other Museum departments. To help attract
visitors and donors to the Museum, Finance and
Museum Services has formulated the following goals:

* To make Museum Stores more appealing to visitors by:

y Expanding Museum Stores activities (e.g.,
the Children's Store, special exhibit sales, out-
post stores, catalog sales, store promotion
campaigns)

7 Providing distinctive and appealing natural his-
tory merchandise and books

/ Providing visible, accessible, and adequate
space to display merchandise attractively and to
allow for comfortable visitor shopping.

* To improve the Museum's food service by:

y Working actively and imaginatively with
McDonald's food service and the Museum Pub-
lic Programs departments

y Improving the space, refreshments, and service
in the vending area.

* To expand the Museum's special events program in
order to:

y Increase visits by encouraging conventions and
business groups to hold events at the Museum

y Attract groups from nearby areas and states to
visit the Museum

y Increase use of Museum facilities outside visiting
hours so that the Museum serves fully as a city-
wide cultural center.

* To develop the vital visitor service role of the Visitor
Services and Security Department, through training
programs designed to enhance the staff's effectiveness as
Museum hosts and guides.

* To develop training programs for Housekeeping and
other departmental staff members who interact with the
public, to make them more aware of their role in
representing the Museum to the public.

In providing support for Museum operations and
other departments, Finance and Museum Services has
identified several improvements to be made. Their goals
in providing support are:

* To improve planning and management of the
Museum's physical plant by:

y Reorganizing the Department of Facility Plan-

CENTENNIAL DIRECTIONS

Exhibit 9

Sources of Support
For the Year Ended December 31, 1984

Auxiliary Income" J 5. 6%

Chicago Park District Support 26. 6%

Grants (federal and state) 9.0%

' Museum Store, food service, special events

ning and Operations to assume the additional
responsibilities of capital campaign construction
management while maintaining high standards
of daily operation in its engineering, main-
tenance, and housekeeping sections

/ Conducting studies of space needs and develop-
ing renovation and construction proposals and
plans

/ Preparing annual plans for energy utilization and
Museum-wide capital expenditures.

* To work closely with Public Programs personnel to ex-
pedite completion of exhibits and to improve services to
visitors.

* To develop and coordinate a risk management pro-
gram to protect the Museum's assets and to minimize lia-

22 bility exposure, reviewing collections annually to ensure

that security and insurance coverage are adequate,
reviewing all public areas regularly to protect visitors
against injury and the Museum against liability.

* To improve the overall safety and security of the
Museum for everyone who visits or works there by:

/ Monitoring Museum conditions that affect
health and safety

/ Continuing to improve security systems and
security training programs.

* To improve equipment inventory control by im-
plementing an effective identification system and a com-
puterized equipment inventory system.

* To implement an improved equipment purchase
approval system, including a special review for com-
puter, word processing, and copy equipment.

* To improve the printing production process, includ-

ing defining project scope, developing budgets, and
meeting schedules.

* To redefine the role of Museum archives to guarantee
continued collection, maintenance, retrieval, and
safeguarding of essential Museum records and to define
conditions of access.

* To extend computer services selectively and manage
them efficiently, with trained personnel and budget con-
trol of both computer equipment and programming.

* To improve and expedite financial planning, budget-
ing, managing, and reporting systems so that they pro-
vide accurate and timely information.

Fiscal Soundness

In comparison with other not-for-profit institutions,
museums are fragilely financed — particularly the few
natural history museums that maintain huge research
collections and conduct active research. Most basic

research in the United States is conducted in univer-
sities, health centers, and national laboratories and is
financed through student tuition, patient fees, and
major government grants and appropriations. Without
students and patients, research museums cannot earn
substantial income.

Moreover, because nongovernmental natural sci-
ence research museums are committed to long-term
basic research, they have not benefited from shorter
term government research priorities. As a result, non-
governmental natural science research museums are not
adequately funded. They have to rely more heavily on
endowments and annual giving than do hospitals, uni-
versities, or national laboratories. To make major con-
tributions to American science and increase public
understanding of natural science, Field Museum must
increase its income from existing sources and develop
new resources.

Other trends deepen the fiscal challenge. Forty

Exhibit 10

X

Vice President
Development

Development

Corporations
& Foundations
Division

Individuals
Division

Sponsored
Programs

"Membership

■Tours

Board of Trustees

President
ceo

Vice President
Collections
& Research

-Anthropology

-Botany

-Geology

Zoology

-Library

Scientific
Support Services

Center for
Advanced Studies

Fieldiana

Vice President
Public Programs

-Exhibition

-Education

Public
Relations

Bulletin

Vice President

Finance &
Museum Services

—Human Resources

Facility Planning
& Operations

Visitor Services
& Security

—Finance

—Museum Stores

Archives

—General Services

'—Special Services

23

CENTENNIAL DIRECTIONS

Instructor Mary Ann Bloom with schoolchildren in the Pawnee Earth Lodge, Field Museum's full-size replica of an 1830s Indian dwelling. In
J985 more than 4, 500 school groups visited the Museum to augment their studies. William Burlingham photo.

years ago the endowment accounted for 80 percent of
our income; today it provides approximately 20 percent.
And the costs of maintaining an excellent institution
have risen. Thirty years ago computers and sophisticated
equipment were not required for research, and exhibits
were less complex. To meet this fiscal challenge, we
must be imaginative in searching for income and in
supporting appropriate programs. Even so, our resources
will always be finite, and it will always be necessary to set
expenditure priorities. As part of this effort, we must
systematically project operating and capital budgets on a
five-year basis.

To achieve fiscal soundness, Field Museum must
maintain and increase its sources of support (Exhibit 9,
page 22). Continued major support from the Chicago
Park District is essential along with support from the
State of Illinois. We must maintain the endowment's
current percentage of our support through capital contri-
butions and investment management, which will pro-
vide needed operating funds and long-term endowment
growth.

Earned income must grow through increased atten-
24 dance, expanded store and food sales, and enlarged

special events activities. Also essential is imaginative
and careful administration of the budget to permit max-
imum investment opportunities for current income.

In addition, to strengthen its financial stability
Field Museum must form partnerships with comparable
institutions so as to share staff and equipment and to
reduce costs through pooling. In concert with peer insti-
tutions, Field Museum must make the case that natural
science collections and research play a vital role in our
nation in order to secure government and foundation
support.

Notwithstanding the need to increase operating
support from granting agencies, investments, and other
earnings, Field Museum's future is dependent upon the
private donor. We will continue to rely heavily on the
private donor for annual support, and we will rely
principally on the private donor for capital support.

To achieve the goals established for the future of
Field Museum, the Board of Trustees has undertaken a
three-year capital campaign to raise $40 million. This
capital campaign is key to achieving the goals of our
centennial planning process. The campaign has four
crucial elements:

J Endowment: to provide for collec- $7,000,000

tions and research and to maintain the
current percentage of annual Museum
support from endowment

/ Public exhibits and programs: to pro- $10,370,000
vide new exhibits and programs in
areas of the Museum that have not
changed substantially in 60 years
7 Exterior and roof repair: to repair the $12,630,000
deteriorating exterior walls of the
Museum and the leaking roof of the
main hall

y Operating support for 1984-1988: to $10,000,000
strengthen and carry forward the fun-
damental Museum programs

Total $40,000,000

The future of Field Museum depends on the success

of this capital campaign. Every person concerned about

this Museum must actively participate in this effort to

secure its future.

Organizational Excellence

Field Museum is an institution with a lean staff and lim-
ited funds. The Museum has, nevertheless, committed
itself to a very demanding mission: to be a national and
international leader in research while serving the public
directly as an exceptional natural history museum. In
this era of limited funding, Field Museum cannot expect
to fulfill its dual mission through financial resources
alone. To reach its goals, the Museum must draw on its
outstanding human resource — a staff and volunteer
corps of extraordinary talent and dedication. The organ-
izational challenge for the Museum will be to provide
opportunities for these outstanding people to advance
the Museum's mission.

The effort to meet this challenge will be fourfold:
1 . Unify the staff in support of the Museum's mission. The
Museum has recently adopted a new organization struc-
ture, with the objective of better focusing the organiza-
tion on its basic missions (Exhibit 10, page 23). The
departments that are most directly involved in the
Museum's role as a research institution are grouped
together into the area of Collections and Research. Pub-
lic Programs staff are similarly grouped together.

Finance/Museum Services and Development complete
the new organization.

2. Recognize explicitly the value of the Museum's staff. Peo-
ple, not structures, make a great institution. And a great
institution provides opportunities for people to achieve
their professional goals. To that end, the Museum will
endeavor to:

y Provide training programs for staff development

y Provide the staff with opportunities to express
their ideas on Museum operations and to imple-
ment them whenever possible.

y Provide clear information on employment op-
portunities and staff benefits.

y Be an active equal opportunity employer

3. Recognize the crucial role of the volunteer. Field
Museum's future depends on the gift of time by individ-
uals. Collections are maintained, research carried on,
programs conducted, funds raised, and the Museum gov-
erned by volunteers. Field Museum must strengthen its
great tradition of volunteer leadership and responsibil-
ity. To that end the Museum will endeavor to:

y Recruit additional volunteers from the Museum's

diverse and expanding constituencies.
y Provide orientation programs for respective

volunteer responsibilities.
y Provide volunteers with the opportunities to

express their ideas on Museum operations and to

implement them whenever possible.

4. Look continuously beyond the Museum for ways to
improve. The role of the Museum and its staff and
volunteers in conserving the past is well understood.
Their ingenuity in doing so on limited budgets is legen-
dary. We must build on that legacy to maintain a culture
of innovation.

The Challenge We Face

Our challenge is to be the best natural history research
institute and public museum. Best does not mean big-
gest. Best does require the most of each of us.

To accomplish much, we must be prepared to do
much. We are the Field Museum. Its successes are our
successes. Its failures are our failures. Continued vision
and perseverance will be required of us if we are to lead
among the world's great centers of natural history in
1993 and beyond. ■ 25

FIELD
MUSEUM
TOURS1

Tours projected
for 1987

include Peru,

China, the Galapagos,

Hawaii, Canada's

Queen Charlotte

Islands, New Zealand,

and — aboard the Sea Cloud

— the western

Caribbean, Tikal, and

the Yucatan.

Dear Field Museum Member,

Have you ever considered a Field Museum tourt

I'd like to tell you about our tours — from "Bon Voyage!" to "Wel-
come Home!" We feel our tours are exceptional because each has
one of the Museum's curators as a tour leader, and this individual
takes an active part in tour preparation.

There are many things to see and do before you're really on your
way Before any tour departs, we plan an Orientation Meeting for
all the tour participants. This gives everyone the opportunity to meet
the curator who will lead the tour, and also to hear an informative
lecture, illustrated with slides. It also gives the travellers a chance to
ask questions pertaining to the natural and/or social history of the
tour. We go over the itinerary, and I am always there to answer
questions about logistics.

In March/April of this year we featured a New Zealand tour, which
coincided with the Museum's "Te Maori" exhibition. The exhibit
provided an informative lecture series, as well as the opportunity to
view outstanding artifacts — an exciting introduction to the New
Zealand trip!

If you see an announced tour which particularly appeals to you, just
send an advance deposit of $50 per person to the Field Museum's
Tours office, to ensure your place. You will be notified about all
upcoming activities related to the tour, and the deposit is completely
refundable should you change your mind prior to the first installment
payment.

Advanced planning assures a successful and memorable trip. Pass-
ports, visas, inoculations, insurance and currency rates must be
taken into consideration. What's the mean temperature and average
rainfall^ The age-old questions of what to pack and who else is
goingt Is there a detailed itinerary, and can you find a reading list to
find out what you'd really like to see(- How can you be reached
during an emergency (■ Window or aisled All these arrangements are
completed for you by our office.

When you travel with Field Museum, you travel with a purpose.
Your Tour Leader is a constant source of information about the coun-
try's flora, fauna, and cultural heritage. Someone is always there to
regulate or adjust transportation, lodging, and meals.

26

For reservations, call or write Dorothy Roder (322-8862), Tours Manager, Field Museum,
Roosevelt Rd. at Lake Shore Dr. , Chicago, 1160605

And when the tour is completed, it's still not really over, because we
keep in touch. We also arrange for a reunion party, to relive the
experience and share photographs and stories. Besides, we find that
our tour participants' suggestions and comments are extremely help-
ful, and ensure that we continue to plan tours which reflect what you
want to see and experience.

Please look over the list opposite, which presents some of the 1987
tours now under consideration. If you'd like more information,
please contact me. One of the nicest things about my position at
Field Museum is the joy of sharing your expectations for a never-to-
be forgotten trip, so I'd love to hear from you.

Sincerely yours,
Dorothy S. Roder

27

Field Museum of Natural History
Membership Department
Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605-2499

MISS MARITA MAXEY
CHICAGO IL 60626

j*.-

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^^IdMuseum of nAtural history bulletin

November 198^ ■*> 51 .Ji^P

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'V«.r

Field Museum
of Natural History
Bulletin

Published by

Field Museum of Natural History

Founded 1893

President: Willard L. Boyd

Editor/ Designer: David M. Walsten
Production Liaison: Pamela Stearns
Staff Photographer: Ron Testa

Board of Trustees

Richard M. Jones.

Chairman
Mrs. T. Stanton Armour
George R. Baker
Robert O. Bass
Gordon Bent
Mrs. Philip D. Block III
Willard L. Boyd
Robert D. Cadieux
Henry T. Chandler
Worley H. Clark
Frank W. Considine
Stanton R. Cook
William R. Dickinson. Jr.
Thomas E. Donnelley II
Thomas J. Eyerman
Marshall Field
Ronald J. Gidwitz
Clarence E. Johnson
John James Kinsella
Hugo J. Melvoin
Leo F. Mullin
Earl L. Neal

James J. O'Connor
Robert A. Pritzker
James H. Ransom
John S. Runnells
Patrick G. Ryan
William L. Searle
Mrs. Malcolm N. Smith
Robert H. Strotz
Mrs. Theodore D. Tieken
E. Leland Webber
Blaine J. Yarrington

Life Trustees

Harry O. Bercher
Bowen Blair
Mrs. Edwin J. DeCosta
Clifford C. Gregg
William V. Kahler
William H. Mitchell
Edward Byron Smith
John W. Sullivan
J. Howard Wood

The Women's Board of Field Museum
Presents The Treasures Ball

The Treasures Ball, a gala black tie dinner dance, will
be held Friday, November 7, in Field Museum's
Stanley Field Hall. Reception and exhibit at 6:30,
dinner at 8:00. The evening will feature a special
exhibition of rare objects from the Field Museum
archives, selected by the Museum's curators. Mrs.
Robert C. Ferris is chairman of the gala. Vice-
chairman are Mrs. Donald C. Greaves and Mrs. John
L. Hines. Mrs. Malcolm N. Smith is president of the
Women's Board. Music for the party will be pro-
vided by the Bob Hardwick Orchestra.

The Treasures Ball is being underwritten by
Sara Lee Corporation.

For further information, please call Margaret
Ann Ratcliffe, Women's Board coordinator, at 322-
8870.

CONTENTS

November 1986
Volume 57, Number 10

November and December Events at Field Museum

Books

"The Nemesis Affair, " by David M. Raup

The New Income Tax Law and Charitable Giving 9

by Clifford Buzard, Planning Giving Officer

Mammals and Beetles in Costa Rica 1 1

by James S. Ashe, Assistant Curator of Zoology , and
Robert M. Timm

My Field Trip to Ulu Kinabatangan, North Borneo,
with Robert Inger 19

by Chin Phui Kong

Field Museum Launches Its $40 Million
Capital Campaign

22

Founders' Council Honors Roger Tory Peterson 25

Field Museum Tours

26

COVER

Barbara L. Clauson, field associate for the Division of Mam-
mals and the Division of Birds, carries her share of the load
during a recent expedition to Costa Rica. For more on the
expedition see pages 1 1-18. Photo by Robert M. Timm.

Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin (USPS 898-940) is published monthly, except combined July/ August issue, by Field Museum of Natural History. Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive.
Chicago, IL 60605-2496. © 1986 Field Museum of Natural History. Subscriptions: $6.00 annually. $3.00 for schools. Museum membership includes Bulletin subscription. Opinions expressed by
authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policy of Field Museum. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. Museum phone: (312) 922-9410. Notification of address change should
include address label and be sent to Membership Department. Postmaster: Please send form 3579 to Field Museum of Natural History. Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive. Chicago. IL 60605 - 2496.
ISSN: 0015-0703

A special invitation for Museum Members to

A FAMILY CHRISTMAS TEA AT FIELD MUSEUM

Thursday, December 1 1

1:00 -3:00 p.m.
Stanley Field Hall

The Pottery, basketry, textiles, dance, and
music of the American Indians embodies the
heritage and values of these ancient cultures.
The techniques for creating these arts, which
have been handed down from generation to
generation for hundreds of years, continue to be
taught by the elders to the younger members of
the tribes.

Join us in November as we celebrate this
legacy of Chicago area Native Americans. Meet
and talk with craftspeople as they demonstrate
their fine artistic skills on Saturday, November
22, from 1:00 to 3:00pm. Experience the pagean-
try, rhythm, and athletic agility of tribal and
fancy dancers and musicians during per-
formances at 1:00pm and 3:00pm, on Friday and
Saturday, November 28 and 29.

World Music Program

Saturdays and Sundays in November
1:00 and 3:00pm

Music Communicates Many Different
Things to many different people. It is some-
thing that can be shared by all of us, whether or
not we have common lifestyles, beliefs, or even
languages. From the rhythmic sounds of the
talking drum to the melodic strains of a Native
American flute, experience with us the music of
Africa and Native American cultures.

The World Music Program is supported by
Kenneth and Harle Montgomery in honor of E.
Leland Webber, president emeritus of Field
Museum.

CONTINUED ■

T

Events

T

November and December
Weekend Programs

Each Saturday and Sunday you are invited to
explore the world of natural history at Field
Museum. Free tours, demonstrations, and films
related to ongoing exhibits at the museum are
designed for families and adults. Listed below
arejust two of the numerous activities each
weekend. Check the Weekend Programs sheet
upon arrival for the complete schedule and pro-
gram locations. The programs are partially sup-
ported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.

Saturday, November 1, 11:00am Ancient Egypt
(tour). Explore the traditions of ancient Egypt
from everyday life to myths and mummies.

Saturday, December 6, 1:30 pm: Tibet Today
(slide lecture). See Lhasa and other towns re-
cently opened to the public.

These programs are free with Museum admis-
sion and no tickets are required.

Family Feature

Hand Puppets!

December 13 and 14
1:00-3 :00pm

You've Made Hand and Finger Shadows
of animals on the wall, now go one step further.
Hands can easily look like octopuses but, with a
little makeup, you can have an elephant, giraffe,
or even a frog at the end of each arm. What
incredible animals can you create? Come to Field
Museum and try your hand at it!

Family Features are free with Museum
admission and tickets are not required.

Peter and the Wolf

Bob Kramer's Marionettes

Monday and Tuesday
December 29 and 30, 2:00pm
Stanley Field Hall

An EVIL WOLF, a sly cat, a clever bird, and a
very brave little boy are the stars of Prokofiev's
famous symphonic fairy tale Peter and the Wolf.
Bob Kramer's Marionettes bring a new life to
this story and melody, known so well by chil-
dren everywhere. Let this spectacular of music
and marionettes be the finale to your family's
holiday season — a treat to you from Field
Museum.

This program is free with Museum admis-
sion and no tickets are required.

Available Now at the Field Museum Store:

IRANIAN
ADVENTURE

The First Street Expedition

by William S. and Janice K. Street
with Richard Sawyer

$14.95

10% discount for Field Museum members

softcover

320 pages, with color plates

and black-and-white illustrations

PUBLISHED BY FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Many couples approaching sixty and planning retirement might
buy a camper and think about a little serious fishing. Bill and Jan
Street bought two Travelalls, hired Doug Lay, a young mammalo-
gist, and took off to scour the mountains, deserts, and river valleys
of Iran for wildlife specimens to enrich Field Museum's collec-
tions. They started by hunting red sheep two miles high in the
Elburz Mountains and went on from there. During the next six
months, they traveled nearly 15,000 miles and collected nearly
3,500 mammals, from bears to bats. They also collected hundreds
of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, complete with thousands
of fleas, ticks, and mites — all equally valuable for study. Thanks to
their efforts, Field Museum now houses one of the world's finest
collections of Iranian fauna.

But as history moved on, the Streets found that they had also
captured a last view of an ancient culture on the brink of change.
Their notes and photographs illuminate the vast political eruption
that followed. This, and the lengthening roll of research papers
based on their collections, gives lasting value to the Iranian adven-
tures of three Americans who learned the scientific expedition
business by doing it.

Books

THE NEMESIS AFFAIR:

A Story of the Death of Dinosaurs and the Ways of Science

by David M. Raup

W. W. Norton & Co., 212 pages, $14.95

Reviewed by David L. Hull

Professions Keep Themselves Well Insulated from

outsiders by several layers of hypocrisy. Those on the
inside know how the profession actually functions but
keep this knowledge to themselves either because they
are too shy to speak up or because they fear the effect that
such revelations might have on their profession. I
suspect that most professionals are wise to participate
in this conspiracy of silence. If the general public dis-
covered what really was going on, there would be hell
to pay.

David Raup thinks that science is an exception.
Yes, scientists are as hypocritical about science as
doctors are about the medical profession or professors are
about teaching, but Raup thinks that they need not be.
He seems confident that outsiders will value science just
as much once they know how it actually operates as they
did when they believed the Just-So Stories that are
usually told about it, possibly more so. He presents
science as being composed of very human beings who are
fascinated by the world in which they live, who get great
joy from being right and not infrequently perverse
pleasure in showing others to be wrong, who speculate
wildly and doggedly insist that sooner or later evidence
must be brought to bear on their speculations. But most
of all, this book is written to say a few good words for
the mavericks of science, those frequently maligned
scientists who challenge conventional wisdom and who
are so difficult to tell from the lunatic fringe.

Raup's particular subject matter is a series of related
hypotheses that gained the attention of scientists in
various fields starting in 1980 about the mass extinctions
which punctuate the fossil record. In the beginning
Raup shared the conventional wisdom — the causes for

David L. Hull is Professor of Philosophy at Northwestern Univer-
6 sivy.

groups of organisms going extinct are extremely varied
and haphazard, changes in the environment,
competition from other species, the evolution of new
viruses, etc. — the sorts of causes that we see operating
around us all the time. Following the great 19th-century
geologist, Charles Lyell, geologists, paleontologists, and
evolutionary biologists prefer to explain phenomena
initially in terms of familiar causes acting at current
rates. Only when these causes are exhausted is a scientist
justified in postulating more drastic, though equally
naturalistic causes.

Scientists are addicted to regularities, cycles and
the like. Planets do revolve around stars in ellipses,
organisms do go through life cycles, there are circadian
rhythms, but so many of the cycles which scientists have
postulated have turned out to be illusory that in certain
areas of science, periodicity is highly suspect. As regular
as rain some historian or other will suggest that societies
go through life cycles or a biologist that species rise and
fall as regularly as the Roman Empire or the Third Reich.
In the case of biological evolution, these suggestions
about cycles and periods are even more questionable
because the causes which biologists acknowledge are so
irregular and haphazard.

Mass extinctions have always proved an em-
barrassment to evolutionary biologists. If they are as
abrupt and massive as they appear, then how can the
sorts of causes acting today at current rates explain
them? Conventional wisdom is that they are not as
abrupt as they appear. The spotty, haphazard nature of
the fossil record makes them look so drastic. Rates of
extinction vary, but the same sorts of influences are
responsible for extinction during slow as well as more
active periods. The period of rapid extinction which had
the most dramatic effect occurred at the boundary
between the Permian and Triassic Periods, about 250
million years ago, when up to 96 percent of the species
existing at the time went extinct.

Less drastic though even more interesting, was the
period of rapid change that occurred more recently at the
boundary between the Cretaceous and Tertiary Periods,
about 65 million years ago, the time at which the
dinosaurs at last went extinct. This "mass extinction" is
fascinating because we find dinosaurs fascinating, but as
far as numbers are concerned, dinosaurs played only a
minor role. Incidentally, the "mass extinctions" always
seem to come at the boundaries between geological
periods, but that is simply because this is the way that
these periods were distinguished in the first place.

Thus, when a high-energy physicist and Nobel
laureate, Luis Alvarez, his son Walter, a geologist, and
two chemists, Frank Asaro and Helen Michel, published
a paper in Science in the spring of 1980 suggesting that
the extinction of the dinosaurs and other species was
actually caused by the impact of some sort of an
extraterrestrial body such as a large meteor, those
scientists most directly concerned with explaining ex-
tinctions were aghast.

Collisions with meteors are certainly not mi-
raculous events, but any collision that could kill off so
many kinds of organisms over a very short period of time
certainly counts as a catastrophe. If the issue had been
simply whether or not a large meteor had hit the earth 65
million years ago, it would have roused little attention.
Meteors hit the earth all the time. But the implications
were startling. If Alvarez and company were right, then
everyone else was wrong. The most important feature of
this paper and the only one that justified its publication
in such a prestigious journal as Science was that the
authors presented independent evidence that a huge
meteor had actually hit the earth at the time necessary to
produce this mass extinction — an unusually high
concentration of iridium, an element that is normally
absent from the earth's crust but relatively common in
some types of meteorites. But if meteor impacts caused
one mass extinction, why not others? In the next few
years, numerous papers were published arguing the
existence and relevance of iridium deposits at important
boundaries in the fossil record.

What was Raup doing during all of this time? For
one thing, he had served as one of the referees for the
paper by Alvarez and company. He found the paper
poorly written and somewhat pretentious in style.
Besides, several years before, he himself had investigated
the possibility of collisions with extraterrestrial bodies
causing mass extinctions and, by means of computer
simulations, had found the cause not up to the effects.
He concluded that the manuscript was potentially
excellent and exciting, meriting rapid publication, but
actually mediocre and should not be published. "If a

David M. Raup is Sewell L. Avery Distinguished Service Professor
of Geophysical Sciences at the University of Chicago and a
Research Associate, Department of Geology, Field Museum. He
formerly served as Field Museum's Dean of Science and, prior to
that, as Chairman of the Museum's Department of Geology, kwm

graduate student gave me this manuscript to read, I
would see it as a brilliant piece of work (indicating that
the student has enormous potential) but I would give it
back to be done right!" The editors of Science followed
Raup's advice and returned the manuscript to the Nobel
laureate and his co-authors with the suggestion that they
rework their manuscript, this time "doing it right."

In 1977 Alfred G. Fischer and Michael A. Arthur
published a paper in which they claimed that major
extinctions come every 32 million years. Raup's reaction
at the time was the same as everyone else's — incredulity.
The data was messy, and the authors were very vague
about the mechanism that could produce such regular
extinctions. However, in 1982, a young colleague of
Raup's at the University of Chicago, Jack Sepkoski,
published a huge compendium of the origin and
extinction of fossil groups. The following year, Raup and
Sepkoski began playing with this data to see if they could
discern any regularities. Eventually one materialized —
periodic mass extinctions every 26 million years. Raup
and Sepkoski were very leery. They did not want their
names added to the list of gullible scientists and
pseudoscientists who had suggested cycles in the fossil
record. The implications of their hypothesis were even
more fundamental than those of the meteor impact
hypothesis. It is one thing to say that a particular mass
extinction really was massive and caused by a meteor.
The suggestion that many, possibly all mass extinctions
were caused by collision with extraterrestrial objects was
even more ambitious. But to add to these hypotheses the
claim that the collision and subsequent extinctions
occur at regular intervals involves a speculative quantum
leap. What in heaven's name could cause such regular
extinctions?

When Raup and Sepkoski, after considerable
effort, were unable to shoot down their hypothesis, they
published. Initially the reaction was mixed. Astro-
physicists suggested celestial mechanisms to explain
the periodicity of extinction, including a small com-
panion star to the .sun which they named "Nemesis,"
the Death Star. Raup himself suggested periodic
reversals of the earth's magnetic poles. In support of
Raup and Sepkoski, Walter Alvarez and Rich Muller
reported a periodicity of crater formation every 32
million years. The extinction and crater cycles even
coincided — sort of. But the responses of many of their
colleagues were anything but favorable, culminating in
an editorial in April of 1985 in the New York Times,
concluding that astronomers "should leave to astrologers
the task of seeking the cause of earthly events in the
stars."

When Raup started writing up the chronicle of the

Nemesis affair, he hoped that some resolution would
have been reached by the time he was ready to publish.
Fortunately for the reader, the controversy continues
unabated, even though several editors of journals and
science journalists have declared it over. Usually
histories of science are written long after the smoke has
cleared and we know who is right. As a result, not only is
the smoke left out, the power of hindsight is brought to
bear on the arguments and evidence. Those scientists
who turn out to be right are lauded as "keen observers"
and "responsible scientists," while those who opposed
them are condemned as being "blinded by preconceived
ideas."

Those scientists who turn out to be wrong are
dismissed as "idle speculators" and those who opposed
them praised as properly "sober scientists." The real
world is not like this at all. When scientists must opt
on scientific ideas, the data is always messy and
indeterminate. The winds keep blowing. First one side
seems to be winning, then the other. One of Raup's goals
is to avoid the "sanitized" view of science which
characterizes so much of the literature on science. The
fact that he does not know who is eventually going to
win helps in this respect. We do not know yet who the
heroes and villains are. Nor is he in the least tempted to
debunk science. There is much more to winning in
science than public relations and professional ad-
vancement. Data does matter — eventually, to some
extent, when all else fails.

Raup sees as one of the challenges for future
paleontologists in studying extinction is to "do a much
more thorough job of identifying the winners and losers,
so that we have a better chance of learning exactly what
environmental stresses were responsible for the
disaster." Those of us who study science might well set
ourselves a parallel task with respect to scientists and
their theories. Who are the winners and the losers, and
how were these contests decided? Why was a whole
succession of papers by serious, well-placed scientists
urging drastic causes for catastrophic effects in the
history of life ignored until the paper by Alverez and
company? Why was the paper on the periodicity of
extinction by Fischer and Arthur dismissed so lightly?

Raup does not know the answers to these and other
questions. As in the case of his 26-million-year cycles of
extinction, he has discerned a pattern. Now we need the
mechanism. Raup has written an immensely enjoyable
book. The only thing more fascinating than dinosaurs
munching their Mesozoic vegetation or being terrorized
by Tyrannosaurus rex is scientists engaged in battles over
their favorite scientific hypotheses.

The New Income
Tax Law and

Charitable
Giving

by Clifford Buzard
Planned Giving Officer

JL un

und-raising efforts of most not-for-profit institutions
like Field Museum will neither rise nor fall as a result of
any new income tax law.

So states Thomas R. Sanders, vice president for
Development at Field Museum. "People give to their
favorite charities because they want to give," Mr. Sand-
ers said. "For many of our donors, tax benefits from their
giving have been 'icing on the cake,' because they are
motivated by more positive factors. They give because
they get tremendous self-satisfaction out of giving. They
give because they understand and appreciate the impor-
tant educational programs and scientific research proj-
ects to which the Museum and its staff" (including 45
PhDs, of whom 32 are curators) are committed."

The Senate and House of Representatives Joint
Conference Committee on tax reform made what
observers call a "miraculous" compromise between ear-
lier passed Senate and House bills on tax reform. The
two bodies approved the compromise on their return to
session in late September. President Reagan later signed
the bill.

The Tax Reform Act of 1986 makes major changes
that not only will affect the nation's businesses, but also
will affect individuals — changes that increase the per-
sonal exemption, reduce the rates and number of rates,
and eliminate or limit deductible items.

Changes in the rules concerning charitable giving
and related deductions are relatively few. Just how gift
receipts in the independent sector (the not-for-profit
world) will be affected and to what extent remains to be
seen; as yet there is no consensus among nonprofit lead-
ers. As drafted at this writing, the new law affects charit-
able giving and the charitable deduction in three ways:

First: The deduction is eliminated for charitable

gifts from those persons who use the short form 1040
(non-itemizers), effective January 1, 1987.

It is expected that non-itemizers who give to the
Museum will continue their giving, because they will be
either in the lower bracket or off the tax rolls. For 1986,
the graduated deduction for charitable gifts by non-
itemizers rose to 100 percent, or the total amount of the
gift. And the same rule as for other taxpayers applies: a
person may give up to 50 percent of adjusted gross in-
come to charity if giving cash, or up to 30 percent of
adjusted gross income if giving appreciated securities.

Second: For the most part, rules for recognizing
capital gains and capital gains tax on gifts of appreciated
property stay the same, except for one important limita-
tion: Under current law, a person may deduct the total
market value of a gift of appreciated property, such as
stocks, and recognize no capital gain or capital gains tax.
Under the Tax Reform Act of 1986, tax on a portion of
the capital gain reflected in a gift of appreciated property
will be assessed, but assessed only on those persons who
are subject to the alternative minimum tax.

Third: Congress always has encouraged charitable
giving and, through the charitable deduction, in effect,
subsidizes the gift. For example, under the current max-
imum tax rate of 50 percent, a $100 gift reflects a "sub-
sidy" by the government of $50. Under the two-year
graduated maximum rate, 38.5 percent in 1987 and 28
percent in 1988, a $100 gift would reflect a "subsidy" of
$38.50 in 1987, $28 in 1988 and thereon, assuming no
further rate changes.

"The effect on charitable and not-for-profit institu-
tions, such as Field Museum, should be minimal," Mr.
Sanders said, "because so many non-itemizers will either
drop to the 15 percent minimum tax rate or even pay no
taxes, that they will have more discretionary income and
will continue their giving beliefs and practices," he
explained.

"Not all those who give appreciated stock will be
affected by the capital gains tax. Those donors will con-
tinue to give appreciated stock, and as much as before;
those donors subject to the alternative minimum tax will
probably still give stock, if they are properly motivated
to continue their charitable interests.

"At Field Museum, donors come from the member-
ship rolls, and those members give over-and-above
membership dues. As our membership grows, we will
have an opportunity to increase our number of donors,"
Mr. Sanders continued.

Mr. Sanders pointed to Giving USA, 1986, pub-
lished annually by the American Association of Fund-
Raising Counsel. In that report, Robert L. Thompson,
chairman, said: "In the 50-year history of the. . . Counsel 9

we have learned from first-hand experience that the
tradition of voluntary giving is firmly implanted in the
people of this country and that it is one of the remarkable
characteristics that set this country apart from every
other country in the world. We are also consistently
improving the record, as evidenced by the fact that phil-
anthropic giving in 1985 was double what it was just
seven years ago."

Just as Congress has not changed any of the inheri-
tance or estate tax laws that were part of the 1981 tax
overhaul, so, too, there are continuing benefits in "de-
ferred," or "planned," gifts. These include gifts of life in-
surance, real estate, and gifts that return an income to
the donor (life income trusts). Some methods of
Planned Giving are reviewed, following:

Life Income Trusts

Giving gifts that return a life income to the donor
take the form of trusts. Upon the death of the donor, or
last surviving beneficiary, the principal that made up the
trust is transferred to the Museum. All gifts of this "de-
ferred" nature are deposited into the Museum's general
endowment.

Charitable life income trusts basically are of three
types: the Charitable Remainder Unitrust, the Charit-
able Remainder Annuity Trust, and the Field Museum
Pooled Income fund.

These are attractive to a person who has a signifi-
cant amount of highly appreciated securities. They are
often of low yield, yet, the donor retains them simply
because the capital gains tax would make it almost pro-
hibitive to sell. In addition, the person probably wants
the income.

Complete freedom from capital gains and, there-
fore, capital gains tax, coupled with usually higher
yields, make life income trusts attractive. The new tax
law continues to allow this "waiver" of recognition of
capital gains, even for those persons who must pay the
alternative minimum tax. This fact, too, makes life in-
come trusts attractive.

The two major types of charitable remainder trusts
are the Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust and the
Charitable Remainder Unitrust. An annuity trust pays
the donor/beneficiary a fixed dollar amount quarterly;
the unitrust pays out quarterly a fixed percentage of the
fair market value of the trust, based on an annual evalua-
tion. By law, neither trust can pay out less than 5 per-
cent. The annuity trust is a fixed instrument, in that
principal cannot be added to it; the donor may add to the
10 principal of a unitrust at anytime.

The Field Museum Pooled Income Fund pays to the
donor/beneficiary only the income of his share of the
fund. A person may participate with a minimum of
$10,000, and he may add to it in $1,000 increments at
any time. At the time of entering into the fund, the
value of the donor's transfer is translated into numbers of
"units" in the fund. Payments are made on a pro-rata
basis of the number of "units" in the fund in which the
donor has an interest. The Field Museum Pooled Income
Fund pays out monthly.

In all such life income trusts, at the death of the
donor/beneficiary, what is left in the trust — the "remain-
der"— reverts to the Museum and its endowment fund.
On the death of the donor/beneficiary in the Pooled In-
come Fund, only the underlying principal representing
that donor's income interest reverts to the Museum; the
Pooled Income Fund continues to provide income for
the surviving participants in the Fund.

Gift of Real Estate

Still an attractive form of gift unaffected by the new
income tax law is a gift of real estate. A home, con-
dominium, farm, a building, a summer cottage — all are
ideal gift vehicles.

If making an outright gift of real property, and that
property has appreciated in value, the donor does not
recognize any capital gains and, therefore, is not subject
to capital gains tax.

An arrangement known as a "life estate agreement"
can be made whereby the donor gives the property, but
remains living there rent-free for life, maintains it and
pays taxes, and enjoys any income it provides. In such an
agreement, the donor does recognize a portion of the
capital gain in the property to which he may be subject
to capital gains tax.

Gifts of Life Insurance

While life insurance policies do not have to go through
the probate process, they are counted in a decedent's
gross estate for federal estate tax purposes. For this rea-
son, some persons find it advantageous to give the
Museum life insurance policies. Each donor, in giving
gifts other than cash or securities, should seek advice
from his attorney or accountant.

While Field Museum is endeavoring to increase its
endowment through "deferred" gifts such as life income
trusts and bequests, the Museum annually must raise
from $2-$3 million in contributions to the operating
fund to avoid deficits. Any gift, therefore, of any size, is
always gratefully appreciated. FM

Monteverde, showing change from dry lower slopes to moist mountain tops. Photo by ]ames S. Ashe.

M. ield Museum of Natural History has a rich his-
tory of leadership in the study of the remarkable and
rapidly disappearing fauna and flora of the tropical
Americas. In support of this overall program, the Rice
Foundation of Chicago made available funds for current
research on tropical mammals and their parasitic associ-
ates. These funds were used to support an expedition to
Costa Rica in March, April, and May of 1986.

The expedition had two main thrusts. The first was
in response to an invitation from the Costa Rican
National Park Service to participate in a survey of the
mammals and their parasites of a new national park be-
ing established. The results of this survey will provide

James S. Ashe is Assistant Curator of Zoology and Head of the Division of
Insects at FieldMuseum. Robert M. TimmisCurator-in-Charge of Mam-
mals, Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, Lawrence,
Kansas. With Field Museum, Timm is a Research Associate of the Divi-
sion of Mammals and served until recently as Associate Curator of Mam-
mals; he was also Head of the Division of Mammals.

the basis for a wildlife management plan for the park. In
the second phase of the expedition we studied in detail
the nature of the interaction between a unique group of
rove beetles (Staphylinidae), which were thought to be
parasitic on neotropical mammals, and their mamma-
lian hosts. The goal was to better understand the ecol-
ogy, evolution, and resource use patterns of parasite-
host relationships.

The following letter from curators Ashe and Timm
was written during the expedition from one of the
field sites to Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Nolan of the Rice
Foundation.

1 May 1986

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Nolan,

Just a short letter from Costa Rica to let you know
that our expedition has been superbly successful to date.

We are currently at Monteverde, a picturesque
farming community in the Tilaran Mountains of north-
western Costa Rica. Today we are experiencing one of

11

Bob Timm (right) and assistants load pack horse for trip to the base
camp. Photo by James S. Ashe.

The bam which provided laboratory space at Monteverde. Photo by
James S. Ashe.

those few remarkably beautiful days that occur briefly
between the period of cold blowing mists that come from
the east, and the heavy rains that come from the west.
We are indeed fortunate to be working here at this time
because our final study site in this area is a one-and-a-
half-hour walk up a very steep trail to the top of the
highest mountain in all of northern Costa Rica, Cerro
Amigos. Working at this site in the rain or mist would be
virtually impossible.

The first leg of our expedition involved a survey of
the mammalian fauna along an elevational transect in a
newly expanded national park in northeastern Costa
Rica, the Zona Protectora, at the invitation of the
National Park Service. This five-week survey involved
studies in magnificent, but rugged, virgin rain and cloud
forest from near sea level to the crest of Volcano Barba,
which rises to over 2,800 meters (about 9,500 feet). The
region represents one of the most remote and unexplored
tracts of wilderness in all of Costa Rica. Access to the
area is very difficult. We were able to take a 4-wheel
drive vehicle across old abandoned logging roads to a
trail head. There we transferred our gear to short, but
ruggedly built, pack horses for the long, physically
demanding, slog to the initial base camp. Once there,
however, all travel within the area, from the lowest to

12

13

Deep within the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Photo by James S. Ashe.

Monteverde cloud forest mouse, Peromyscus nudipes. Costa Rica
is host to some 200 land mammal species. Photo by ]ames S. Ashe.

Mating golden toads (Bufo periglenes) in Monteverde. This spe-
cies is known to occur only within one square kilometer of this
region — nowhere else in the world. About 180 amphibian species
are known to occur in Costa Rica — a country the size of West
Virginia. Photo by ]ames S. Ashe.

14

the highest elevations, was by foot along steep, muddy
and very primitive trails under heavy packs. Throughout
this part of the expedition we lived out of tents and
washed clothes, bathed, and drank out of sparkling cold
mountain streams amid spectacular and diverse tropical
forests. Though it rained virtually every afternoon, the
nights were often crystal clear, and we had a magnificent
view of Halley's comet. It was clearly visible among the
stars of the Southern Cross, which sparkled with the
clarity that can only be found in those last few areas far
from the lights and pollution of civilization.

This newly established national park represents one
of the last strongholds of jaguars, mountain lions, pecca-
ries, and tapirs in all of the northern half of Costa Rica.
Our studies here were extremely productive, and our re-
sults will form the basis of the wildlife management plan
for this new national park.

From the survey it was back to San Jose, the capital
of Costa Rica, for a much needed hot shower and re-
stocking of supplies.

The second phase of the expedition, which we are
about to conclude, is here at Monteverde. Monteverde
is a community founded by Quakers who were escaping
the war draft in the United States in the early 1950s.
They selected one of the most remote mountain regions

of northwestern Costa Rica to establish a small, ag-
riculturally based community. It represents an inter-
esting mixture of cultures, combining modern dairy
practices with isolated life-styles and values. The Mon-
teverde community is famous among naturalists and
tropical biologists because it forms the point of access
to one of the largest expanses of virgin montane cloud
forest remaining in all of Central America. For our pur-
poses, Monteverde is an ideal place to conduct our stud-
ies because of the several major habitat and forest types
found in close proximity to the community. We are stay-
ing at a local inn (here called a pension) and have our
laboratory set up in the loft of a dilapidated, leaky barn
which we are renting from a Monteverde resident.

Because of the large expanse of nearby virgin cloud
forest, progressive land and fojest management, and
strong conservation ethic in the community, wildlife in
the area is abundant. While on our study sites we fre-
quently observe a wide variety of wildlife including
peccaries, foxes, howler monkeys, agoutis, resplendent
quetzals, and a tremendous variety of other rare and
beautiful tropical birds, many of which are virtually ex-
tinct elsewhere. The howler monkeys are especially
exciting to observe at close range because of their ag-

i B

1

1

<L

\

1

- - *

1

t

Bob Timm processing specimens in the makeshift lab at Mon-
teverde. Hanging at left are Berlese funnels, used for separating
insect specimens from debris, such as forest litter. Photo by Barbara
L. Clauson.

Curators Timm (center) and Ashe (right) about to ride up to their
research site. At left is Margaret LaVal, Monteverde resident who
provided the mounts. Photo by Barbara L. Clauson.

15

hh,

Steve Ashe (left) and Bob Timm ready for the day's collecting.
Photo by Barbara L. Clauson.

gressive and vocal displays which are directed toward
intruders — us!

Our studies in the Monteverde area are designed to
elucidate the poorly understood and complex rela-
tionships between a group of staphylinid beetles thought
to be parasitic on cloud forest rodents, their host, and
the effect of elevation, forest type, and moisture gra-
dients on distribution, abundance, and host rela-
tionships. The results, to date, have greatly exceeded
our expectations and certainly represent the finest and
most complete data set that has ever been collected
about these interactions. We are anxiously looking for-
ward to analyzing our results upon our return to Chicago.

In a few days we will return to San Jose to prepare
for the last phase of our studies. This will involve travel
to the region of the highest mountain in Costa Rica,
Cerro de la Muerte, whose peak rises to over 10,000 feet.
Here we will study a much more complex association of
rodents and their beetle parasites, at elevations which
are not available in the Monteverde area. The name
Cerro de la Muerte literally means "the mountain of
death," and originates from the early days when coffee,
the main export crop of Costa Rica, was carried by ox-
cart over a nearby mountain pass, during which time
many of the people who transported the coffee beans
died from cold and exposure. The primary coffee-
producing region is the Central Valley around San Jose.
To get the crop to the main port along the Pacific coast,
Puntarenas, oxcarts were used to haul the beans over the
rough roads and rugged mountain passes. We expect
cold, wet conditions; but, with our modern equipment,
we anticipate no serious problems while working at this
elevation.

This will complete our studies on this expedition to
Costa Rica, and, after more than two months of field-
work, we look forward to returning to Chicago. We
would like to thank you again for your interest and sup-
port which has made it possible for us to undertake this
exciting and very productive expedition.

All of us are healthy, in great physical condition
from all the fresh air and exercise, and delighted with
how well our research is going.

We send you our best wishes and regards, and look
forward to sharing our adventures and experiences with
you in more detail when we return to Chicago.

Sincerely yours,

Steve Ashe
Bob Timm

16

Tropical New World bats, all collected during the expedition. Left,
above, Artibeus lituratus, a fruit-eater; upper right, Phyllosto-
mus hastatus, a predator which eats insects, lizards, and other
small animals; lower right, Trachops cirrhosus, whose diet prefer-
ence is frogs. The wartlike bumps around Trachops' mouth may be
sensors for determining a frog's edibility. Photos by Barbara L.
Clauson.

Postscript

Several weeks have passed now since the 1986 Costa
Rican Expedition returned back to Chicago, and it is
appropriate to ask what was gained, what was learned,
what were the products of this expedition?

Investigation of the immense diversity and evolu-
tion in tropical ecosystems represents one of the great
frontiers of biological science. Yet, the immediacy of the
task is made more urgent by the rapid destruction and
alteration of those very tropical ecosystems which re-
quire so much study. Among Central American coun-
tries, Costa Rica has done a remarkable job of establish-

\

Day's end at Monteverde. Photo by )ames S. Ashe.

18

ing national parks and wildlife reserves, with fully 10
percent of its land presently under some protected status.
Nonetheless, the Ministry of Agriculture recently esti-
mated that at least 75 species of animals are threatened
with extinction in the country.

Field Museum expeditions not only provide collec-
tions, specimens, and data which document and allow
future study of this diversity, but also provide scientific
knowledge in two very important areas. Expeditions
allow us to study, in detail, biological relationships and
patterns of evolution which are unique to the tropics.
Secondly, study of tropical ecosystems provides data and
understanding of the relationship of natural areas to the
preservation and management of a country's resource
heritage of tropical plant and wildlife.

While the wealth of data gathered is still being
analyzed, preliminary results of this expedition illustrate
both points. Work in the Zona Protectora will provide
the basis of a wildlife management system for the
National Park Service as well as provide a very rich
source of data concerning the effect of elevation on

diversity and species composition of communities. The
beetle-mammal relationships studied are limited to for-
ested areas in the upper elevations in the tropics. Our
studies show that these beetles fail to survive where the
forest is opened by logging. Yet, these beetle-host rela-
tionships have great potential for providing unique in-
sights into the way host-parasite interactions evolve,
since it seems to be a relatively early stage of such a sys-
tem. Potentially, this information may lead to greater
understanding of the nature of all host-parasite inter-
actions. The potential benefit of such understanding to
mankind in improving control of harmful parasites is
inestimable.

The possible benefits for mankind as well as the in-
creased understanding of life on our own planet from
study of tropical ecosystems is considerably greater than
the most generous available estimates. The Field
Museum's commitment to tropical biology, with the aid
of donors such as the Rice Foundation, joins with the
international scientific community to make this knowl-
edge available before it is lost forever. FM

My Field Trip to Ulu Kinabatangan,
North Borneo,
With Robert Inger

By Chin Phui Kong

I MET ROBERT INGER for the first time in April or May,
1950, in my home town of Sandakan, Colony of North
Borneo (now Sabah). He came to visit my office
together with the late Dwight Davis. * They were in
North Borneo on the Borneo Zoological Expedition of
the Field Museum of Natural History. I had joined the
Fisheries Department some 10 months earlier, and my
first job in the department had been to conduct a sur-
vey of the fish fauna of the colony. After 10 months
of intensive collection, my office was full offish
specimens — both marine and fresh-water. When they
arrived, our conversations naturally concentrated on
fishes. From that conversation it became apparent that
Bob and I had many interests in common and our
friendship started from there.

My next encounter with Robert Inger was in
April, 1956 — six years after we first met. This time we
spent more than one month together. I took an active
part accompanying him on his zoological expedition
trip to Ulu Kinabatangan, or the upper course of the
Kinabatangan River. The Kinabatangan is the longest
river in North Borneo; it originates in the Witti Range
in the interior, follows a course of some 560 km through
rain forests, nipah and mangrove swamps, before
emptying its muddy water into the Sulu Sea. The river
is navigable by large launches as far as Lamag, and well
beyond that point by smaller launches and shallow-
draught crafts powered by outboard motors. Earlier Bob
had bought supplies, recruited field workers and skill-
fully obtained a motored kumpit (an all-purpose sea-
going native wooden boat) from the United Timbers
Ltd. in Sandakan. The company had opened up a new
logging camp at Deramakot (about 330 km from Sanda-
kan) in Ulu Kinabatangan. A motored kumpit was a

rare commodity in those days, and Bob obviously had
made the right connections with the Forestry Depart-
ment and the timber company's boss.

We set sail to Deramakot from Sandakan on the
morning of the 18th April, 1956. A small motored
kumpit named M/B Pina was loaded with our collecting
gear, supplies, and with Gaun, our Iban hunter;
Awang, the cook and two other workers. At Mumian,
one of the estuaries of the Kinabatangan River and,
about 30 km from Sandakan, we picked up more
supplies — atap and kajang (local roofing and walling
materials made of nipah leaves). We reached Sukau at
1630 hr and tied up at the Sheng Kee Timber Camp
jetty. The Camp's kongsi (a long-house, including
office stores, shop and hostel for timber workers) was
situated on a slope some 9 m higher than the river in
order that it would be above water during floods. The
manager of the camp was very hospitable, and he in-
vited Bob and me to stay at his kongsi for the night. We
gladly accepted.

The next morning I was awakened by the sound
of a gong at 0300 hr, which called the logging crew to
get up. Bob and I got up at 0430 hr, had breakfast, and
were on our way up the river by 0535 hr. The river was
quiet, but covered with thick mist, which gradually
thinned away when the sun rose. The going was
smooth but for a 20-minute engine breakdown when
we ran out of diesel fuel in the tank. There were many
monkeys and wild pigs on the river banks. I counted
30 pigs before we reached Lamag. At about 1730 hr
we passed by Bukit Garam, where the river was calm
and glittering in the setting sunlight. It was very
beautiful. We arrived at Lamag, the government's
administration center of the Kinabatangan District, at

*D. Dwight Davis (1908-65) was Curator of Vertebrate Anatomy
at Field Museum.

Chin Phui Kong, now Aquacultural Consultant, was formerly
Director of Fisheries, Fisheries Department, Sabah.

19

Field Museum's Borneo Zoological Expedition of 1 956, with author Chin Phui Kong, front center, and Robert F. Inger, second from right.
Others are native field crew. 93623

20

1830 hr. We were the guests of the Assistant District
Officer, or ADO, Mr. Richard Lind, * for the night.

Day 3. We had planned to go fishing in the
danau (a cut-off meander) in the morning, but were
held back by heavy rain. We decided to proceed up
river instead, and arrived at Pintasan at 1600 hr where
we stopped for the night.

Day 4- We went up the Lokan River (a tributary
of the Kinabatangan) in a jong-kong (a native dugout
canoe), spending the morning looking for primary for-
est along the river. The search was fruitless. At one
spot we came under a low hanging branch, where a
2-meter python was sleeping on the branch. Bob de-
cided to catch the snake, and he started climbing up
the branch. Suddenly, I felt something heavy drop on
my head and the jong-kong was rocking severely.
Then I saw the python shoot head-long into the river,
and in a moment he was gone. When I came to my
senses, I realized that the python had hit me before
dropping into the boat; and the snake was just as
frightened as I was. We proceeded up river again in

" Two years later, in the early 70's, Mr. Lind was appointed Chief
Secretary of the Sabah Government — the No. I civil servant in the
state.

the afternoon and arrived at Latangan at 1730 hr. We
went fishing in a small stream until sundown.

Day 5. We left Latangan for Deramakot, our
expedition site, in the early morning, and arrived at
0900 hr. Here the United Timbers Ltd. kongsi was
situated even higher up on the bank than the one I
had seen at Sukau. After unloading our gear, Bob and
I set off almost immediately to inspect the nearby for-
est. We went out again in the afternoon to survey the
Deramakot River, to select field stations for collecting
fish and frogs. Other workers were busy building our
camp just opposite the kongsi at the edge of a new
clearing.

Days 6 to 30. Every day was a working day —
weather permitting — except for one rest day for every-
body, and one more for me when I caught cold. Zoolo-
gical collection and gathering of meteorological and
hydrological data were our main tasks at Deramakot.
Fishing (which usually consumed the most man-
power) was done mainly in the morning. Especially
when fishing in the big river we turned out in full
force. Frog collections were done at night. I learned
much from Bob about frogs when I accompanied him
on his frog-hunting trips. We did not catch many
snakes, but we were able to get a fair number of
skinks. The lizards were shot with a .22 pistol with

dust-shots while they were basking in the morning
sun. Hunting for birds and other small mammals was
done singlehandedly by Gaun.

Afternoon times were usually spent preserving
specimens, and writing down field notes and weather
and river data. You would find Gaun skinning a tupai
(tree-shrew) or musang (civet) that was shot in the
morning, with a lighted cigarette hanging between his
lips. In the late afternoon, after taking a bath in the
river, you would find Bob in his colorful sarong work-
ing on his field notes.

Not all the fish specimens were caught by us.
Occasionally the villagers brought in big catfish or
ikan baung (Pangasius and M;ystus) weighing 3 to 4 kg
(6.6-8.8 lbs.) a piece. Bob gladly bought the fish.
After taking measurements of the specimens and
examining their stomach contents, I would cut off the
head and the fins for preservation. The remaining
body portions would be handed over to Awang, the
cook, for our evening meals. One day, when the river
was in flood, a native boy brought in a bundle of ikan
kokok {Leiocassis) . We already had collected many
catfishes, so we decided to keep the smaller fish for
specimens and sent the bigger ones to Awang. Luckily
we kept the smaller fish, for they were later found to
be a new species — Leiocassis robustus. All the catfishes
we sampled at Deramakot were very delicious.

The workers had strong personal characters.
Gaun, the Iban hunter from Sarawak Museum, who
wore a big mustache, was a strong and dignified per-
son and a true professional. One day I followed him
on his hunting trip in the forest. When we reached a
spot surrounded by tall trees, he stopped to listen and
announced that there were animals in the trees. He
then loaded his shotgun and watched carefully as
some fragments of nuts dropped down from a tree. He
told me calmly that kubong (flying lemur) was up
there. It was a big tree, perhaps 30 or 35 m tall, and I
could not make out the kubong from the leaves. Just
as I was about to ask him to point out the kubong to
me, I saw him lift up his shotgun and fire — and down
came the kubong. The action was swift and neat, tak-
ing only a few seconds.

Awang, our cook, was a liar and a bad gambler.
He lost all his pay gambling with the logging crew.
One day during supper Bob asked him why a whole
fish became a half fish after it was cooked by him.
Awang denied any knowledge of the missing portion.
About a year later, when I was invited to give advice
on construction of a fish pond at the prison compound
in Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu), I was not surprised
to find Awang among the prisoners.

Bilit, the manual worker, was a small and timid
man, who smoked a homemade pipe. He was a keen
field worker and a good fisherman. He went fishing in
his leisure time and used to bring back good catches.
He had never handled a pistol, until one day when he
was allowed to use the .22 pistol loaded with dust-shot
to hunt for lizards. He went into the jungle armed
with the pistol, there he came face-to-face with an
elephant. He fired a shot at the jumbo and ran back to
the camp as fast as he could. As it came closer to the
time to leave we did less field work and concentrated
on packing. I checked through my fish notes and
came up with a total of 48 species, which we collected
during this trip.

Day 3 J . Last day in the camp. Heavy rain in the
afternoon, but Pina arrived at 1700 hr as expected.
We finished loading our belongings on board at 1800
hr. That evening we said good-bye to the manager of
the timber camp, Mr. Lai Kim Foh, and his staff at the
kongsi, and thanked them for their hospitality. We
were all ready to leave the next morning.

Our return journey to Sandakan was very fast in-
deed. We boarded M/B Pina at 0545 hr at Deramakot
and started to sail downstream. The river was still
flooding and we reached Mumiang at 2300 hr in the
clear moonlight. We had covered 300 km in less than
18 hours. The next morning we arrived in Sandakan.

In the years that followed, Bob and I maintained
close contact. As a result, in 1959, we produced our
first joint-authorship paper, entitled "New species of
fresh-water catfishes from North Borneo" (Fieldiana:
Zool., 39: 279-296). In 1960, through Bob's efforts,
I was awarded a research fellowship by the U.S.
National Science Foundation, which brought me to
the Field Museum of Natural History to work with
Bob on the fresh-water fish collection from North
Borneo. Our joint effort led to the publication of the
following papers:

1 96 1 . The Bornean cyprinoid fishes of the
genus Gastromyzon Gunther. Copeia
1961: 166-176.

1962. The fresh-water fishes of North Borneo.
Fieldiana: Zool., 45: 1-268.

I consider myself very fortunate to have met
Bob. Through working together in the field and in the
laboratory, I have gained in-depth knowledge and a
refined skill in the science of ichthyology. More than
35 years have passed since we first met, but our friend-
ship has never faded. While working together, Bob
took the leading role and shouldered the "lion's share"
of work and responsibility. I have always regarded him
as my friend and teacher. 21

TIME FUTURE

from TIME PAST

Launching Our

$40,000,000 Capital Campaign

"Chicago has what will be the greatest of all museums, an
institution magnificently endowed by the liberality of its own
citizens, a permanent memorial of the glories of the summer of
'93."— The Chicago Times, June 3, 1894

With those words, Chicago and the world were introduced
to an institution that would become one of the world's pre-
eminent museums.

Today, some 90 years after its founding, Field Museum is a
vital research and teaching institution, as complex as any uni-

versity. Is is a database for the world and a classroom for students
of all ages. It is a record of living things, a notebook charting
man's social development. It is a foundation for the future.

As it nears its centennial in 1993, Field Museum has the
opportunity to reaffirm its position among the premier museums
in the world through an ambitious ten-year plan known as
Centennial Directions. To realize the plan's goals, the Museum
has launched the second capital campaign in its history, Time
Future From Time Past.

The Campaign seeks a minimum of $40 million to:

V Support endowment for research and collections

»/ Renew permanent exhibits and initiate new public programs
}/ Restore the landmark building and

V Maintain annual support during the campaign

The Museum looks to its many members, friends and the
corporate and foundation community to help realize its goals.
Earlier this year, on May 15, the Field Museum publicly an-
nounced its campaign goals during a reception and luncheon
held in Stanley Field Hall. At that time $23. 7 million had been
raised. The total now stands at $27.5 million.

Shown here are scenes from the May 15 event at which the
campaign was announced.

•'*

'JL w

1)

Mac Arthur Foundation Challenge Grant

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Chal-
lenge Grant of $2,500,000 was> announced at Field Museum's
special campaign kickoff on May 15.

The MacArthur Foundation Grant will match all contri-
butions from individuals pledging $10,000 or more. The chal-
lenge has already encouraged many friends of the Museum to
make gifts at least at that level.

MacArthur Foundation's investment in Field Museum will
continue to support the Museum's important research, educa-
tion and exhibition projects.

Among those present at the May 15 Capital Campaign announcement ceremonies
were (above, left to right) Mr. James W. Thurman, MacArthur Foundation execu-
tive vice president, Mr. Blaine J. Yam'ngton and Mr. John S. Runnells, Field
Museum trustees; Field Museum President WiUard L. Boyd; Mrs. Philip D. Blocfc,
Jr. , fimmie W. Croft, Field Museum vice president, Finance and Museum Services,
and Mrs. Theodore D. Tieken, Field Museum trustee. Belou>: Field Museum Trus-
tee Marshall Field is at the podium, with Richard M. Jones, chairman of Field
Museum's Board of Trustees (center) , and President Boyd. The photo at lower left
shows the Capital Campaign dinosaur after unveiling. The dinosaur serves as an
indicator of the campaign's progress, a lavender color advancing upward from the
lower body as funds are raised. Photos by Diane Alexander White 84395

Campaign Leadership

Campaign Chairman
Richard M. Jones

Board Fund Chairman
Marshall Field

Leadership Gifts Chairman
William L. Searle

Leadership Gifts Vice Chairmen
Thomas E. Donnelley II
Robert A. Pritzker

Foundations Division Chairman
Willard L. Boyd

Individuals Division Chairman
Mrs. T. Stanton Armour

Corporate Division Chairman
Leo F. Mullin

Collectors Division Chairman
Theodore W. Van Zelst

Other Key Volunteers
in the Campaign

Mrs. Philip D. Block III
Thomas J. Eyerman
James J. O'Connor
Mrs. Malcolm N. Smith
E. Leland Webber
Blaine J. Yarrington

Gods, Spirits, and People:
The Human Image in Traditional Art

Members' Preview: Friday, November 21, 5:00 pm-9:00 pm

Join us at the Field Museum
to view our collection of
more than 135 beautiful
and symbolic artifacts from
Africa, the Pacific, and the
New World. Developed by
Dr. Robert A. Feldman, of
Field Museum, the exhibit
includes masks, costumes,
and ritual and funerary fig-
ures that express the maker's
identity, spirits, and gods in
human form.

Light refreshments will
be served. Join us for a very
special evening.

The Field Museum is
barrier-free; strollers and
wheelchairs are available.
For additional information
about such arrangements,
please call 922-9410, ext 453.
Public transportation to the
Museum is via the CTA #146
Marine/Michigan bus. For
evening schedule informa-
tion please call 836-7000.

Memorial figure from New Ireland, 5 6, 138800
Photo by Ron Testa and Diane Alexander White 109922

Founders' Council Honors Roger Tory Peterson

A Lifetime's Distinguished Dedication to natural history

has eminently qualified Roger Tory Peterson for an honor
recently accorded him by Field Museum's Founders' Council.
The council's Award of Merit was bestowed on Peterson at a
September 8 awards dinner in recognition of his outstand-
ing work as a painter and photographer of wildlife, natural
history writer, editor, and conservationist. Peterson has done
more than any other individual in the popularization of nat-
ural history field guides, with which his name is practically
synonymous.

Another honor was accorded Peterson recently in a new-
ly discovered bird species being named for him. The cinna-
mon screech-owl, recently discovered in the foothills of the
Peruvian Andes, has been given the scientific name Otus
petersoni, also in recognition of Peterson's achievements. Co-
discoverers of the owl were John W. Fitzpatrick, chairman of
Field Museum's Department of Zoology and curator of Birds,
and John P. O'Neill, coordinator of Field Studies and artist-in-
residence at Louisiana State University's Museum of Natural
Science. The September 8 award program included a pre-
sentation by Fitzpatrick and O'Neill: "Naming a New Owl

after a Legendary Birder: A Tribute to Roger Tory Peterson."
Founders' Council Chairman Henry T. Chandler (above,
left) presented the Award of Merit and a check for $1,000 to
Peterson. Chandler also expressed gratitude to Mr. and Mrs.
John B. Judkins, Jr., chairmen of the Award of Merit Dinner,
which was sponsored by Houghton Mifflin Company, pub-
lisher of the renowned "Peterson Field Guide Series."

The Award of Merit is presented from time to time by the
council to persons who have made significant contributions to
the elements of the stated purpose of Field Museum: "To pre-
serve, to increase and to disseminate knowledge of natural
history; and to enhance in individuals the knowledge of and
delight in natural history."

Established in 1983, the Founders' Council is a distin-
guished support group consisting of individual and corporate
donors who provide leadership and financial assistance to the
Museum. The council focuses on the Museum's incomparable
collections and the renowned international research con-
ducted by the curatorial staff. Further information about the
council may be obtained by calling Susan VandenBosch,
director of Individual Giving, 322-8878.

25

FIELD
MUSEUM

TOURS1

Sailing to the Land of the Maya
Aboard the Tall Ship "Sea Cloud"
February 14-24

Itinerary

Dayl

Miami/ Georgetown, Grand Cayman

Depart Miami on a regularly scheduled flight to George-
town, the principal town of Grand Cayman, largest of the
three Cayman Islands. Columbus named the island Las
Tortugas ("The Turtles") in 1503, for the giant sea turtles
that inhabit the region. The flat, sandy island is peopled by
descendants of Cromwell's soldiers, buccaneers, and ship-
wrecked sailors.

Upon arrival, transfer to the Sea Cloud and sail late
afternoon.

Day 2

At Sea

Sailing due southwest in the Western Caribbean.

Day 3

Swan Island

Morning arrival at tiny Swan Island, a yachtsman's para-
dise. The coral limestone island is only 1 Vi miles long and
60 feet high. Formerly the site of a plantation, today only
about 20 people inhabit the island.

Day 4

Roatan, Bay Islands

Morning at sea with afternoon arrival at Roatan, the larg-
est of the Bay Islands in the Gulf of Honduras. Roatan was
first settled by buccaneers who found the reef-locked har-
bors and lagoons perfect hideouts for raiding treasure
ships.

Swim or snorkel in the blue-green reefs and explore
the beautiful island on your own, enjoying the densely
wooded hills, mountainous terrain, and quiet unspoiled
atmosphere.

Day 5

Cochino Grande

Morning arrival at Cayos Cochinos, of Hog Cays. This
delightful archipelago between Roatan and the Honduran
mainland is an exotic tropical paradise reminiscent of the
South Pacific. Time at leisure for swimming off the mag-
nificent tranquil beaches and for snorkeling. Enjoy the
afternoon at sea.

Day 6

Puerto Barrios/Tikal/Puerto Barrios

Early morning arrival in the Guatemalan port of Puerto
Barrios for an optional full-day excursion by air to Tikal,

26

For reservations, call or write Dorothy Roder (322-8862), Tours Manager, Field Museum,
Roosevelt Rd. at Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, II 60605

one of the oldest and most beautiful of all Mayan sites. Lo-
cated deep in the Peten Jungle, Tikal was occupied from
at least 600 B.C. through the ninth century A.D. It is
thought to have been the most important Mayan center
of the Classic period.

A tour of the site includes the Great Plaza and several
of the flat-topped pyramids towering above the rain forest.
The structures support beautifully decorated temples
where the priest-astronomers charted the motion of the
stars.

built to represent the Mayan calendar; the Temple of the
Warriors, scene of sacrificial rites; the ceremonial ball
court; and the astronomical observatory. Lunch is in-
cluded. In the evening attend a farewell cocktail reception.

Day 10

Chichen Itza/Cancun or Merida/ Miami

Transfer to the airport for the regularly scheduled return
flight to Miami via Cancun or Merida.

Day 7

Half Moon Cay, Lighthouse Reef, Barrier Reef of Belize

Morning arrival in Belize's barrier reef, the world's second
largest, stretching for more than 120 miles. Undiscovered
by the cruise liners and mass tourism, the area is a paradise
for sailors, snorkelers, and nature lovers. The reef com-
munity constitutes the earth's oldest and most complex
ecosystem, dating back two billion years. The inner man-
grove cays are covered with impenetrable growth, and on
the outer sandy cays tall palm trees fringe sandy beaches.

Spend the day at Lighthouse Reef exploring the
Blue Hole, a remarkable phenomenon that is part of an
underwater national park. More than 15 miles long, the
hole is surrounded by coral that rises to the surface of the
lagoon.

Also visit several atolls of Lighthouse Reef, including
Half Moon Cay, which has a large colony of red-footed
boobies.

Day 8

At Sea

Enjoy a magnificent full day at sea on board the Sea Cloud.

Day 9

Playa Del Carmen/Tulum/Coba/ Chichen Itza

Disembark in the morning at Playa Del Carmen, a small
port on the Yucatan. Continue to Tulum, the City of
Dawn. This isolated city overlooking the Caribbean is the
only known Mayan shore-side settlement. Of the 50-plus
structures within the walls, the Watch tower, Temple of the
Frescoes, and Temple of the Descending God are the most
fascinating.

After lunch depart for the majestic site of Coba,
meaning "wind ruffled water." Situated amid five lakes,
Coba was one of the largest Late Classic centers and resem-
bles the site of Tikal in Guatemala in its numerous baffling
causeways. Visit the pyramids of El Castillo and Nohoch
Mai. Continue to Chichen Itza with accommodations at
the Hotel May aland.

Morning and afternoon tours explore Chichen Itza,
the magnificent metropolis and principal religious center
of ancient Yucatan. Evidence of Toltec influence is obvious
throughout the complex in motifs of feathered serpents,
warriors, eagles, and jaguars. Visit the Great Pyramid,

Guest Lecturer: John W.

Fitzpatrick is curator of Birds
and chairman of the Depart-
ment of Zoology at the Field
Museum. He received his
Ph.D. in biology from Prince-
ton in 1978. Fluent in Spanish,
Dr. Fitzpatrick has extensive
experience in Central and
s South America and in the

(0

f Caribbean. He has lectured
* on numerous Field Museum
tours, including a previous
tour of the Lesser Antilles
aboard the Sea Cloud. He is
the author or more than 50
articles on birds and recently
co-authored a prize-winning
book on Florida scrub jays,
published by Princeton
University Press.

RATES

Stateroom

Category Description

One
Person

Each of 2
Persons

Type C — Outside stateroom with one
lower bed and an upper berth, shower.
Staterooms 15, 17, 18, 20

/

$3,595

Type B — Outside stateroom with two lower beds,
shower. Staterooms 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30

Single Type B — Outside stateroom with lower bed,
shower. Stateroom 29, 32

S3.995

$5,495

Type A — Outside stateroom with two lower beds,
shower. Staterooms 19, 22, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37,
38, 39, 40, 41

$4,395

Superior — Original outside stateroom with double
bed, shower. Staterooms 5 (bathtub), 6, 10, 14

Single Superior — Original outside stateroom with
lower bed, shower. Stateroom 1 1

$5,095

$6,595

Deluxe — Original outside stateroom with double
bed or two lower beds, private bathtub, shower.
Staterooms 3, 4, 7

Single Deluxe — Original outside stateroom with
lower bed, shower. Stateroom 8

$5,495

$6,995

Suite — Original owners' suite. Outside with double
bed, private bathtub, shower. Suites 1, 2

$6,895

27

Field Museum of Natural History
Membership Department
Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive
Chicaso, I L 60605-2499

FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY BULLETIN

December 1986

•3

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rieia museum
of Natural History
Bulletin

Published by

Field Museum of Natural History

Founded 1893

President: Willard L. Boyd

Editor/ Designer: David M. Walsten
Production Liaison: Pamela Stearns
Staff Photographer: Ron Testa

Board of Trustees

Richard M. Jones,

Chairman
Mrs. T. Stanton Armour
George R. Baker
Robert O. Bass
Gordon Bent
Mrs. Philip D. Block III
Willard L. Boyd
Robert D. Cadieux
Henry T. Chandler
Worley H. Clark
Frank W. Considine
Stanton R. Cook
William R. Dickinson, Jr.
Thomas E. Donnelley II
Thomas J. Eyerman
Marshall Field
Ronald J. Gidwitz
Clarence E. Johnson
John James Kinsella
Hugo J. Melvoin
Leo F. Mullin
Earl L. Neal

James J. O'Connor
Robert A. Pritzker
James H. Ransom
John S. Runnells
Patrick G. Ryan
William L. Searle
Mrs. Malcolm N. Smith
Robert H. Strotz
Mrs. Theodore D. Tieken
E. Leland Webber
Blaine J. Yarrington

Life Trustees

Harry O. Bercher
Bovven Blair
Mrs. Edwin J. DeCosta
Clifford C.Gregg
William V. Kahler
William H. Mitchell
Edward Byron Smith
John W. Sullivan
J. Howard Wood

Typography by Tele/Typography, Inc.

Ownership, Management, and Circulation

Filing dale: Oct. 1, 1986. Title Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin. Publication no.
898940. Frequency of publication: Monthly except for combined July/August issue. Number
of issues published annually: 11 . Annual subscription price: $6.00. Office: Roosevelt Rd. at
Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60605-2496.

Publisher: Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Rd.. at Lake Shore Dr.. Chicago,
IL, 60605-2496. Editor: David M. Walsten, Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Rd. at
Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL, 60605-2496. Owner: Field Museum of Natural History.
Roosevelt Rd. at Lake Shore Dr.. Chicago. IL, 60605-2496. Known bondholders, mort-
gagees, and other security holders: none. The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this
organization and the exempt status for Federal income tax purposes has not changed during
the preceding 12 months.

Average number Actual number

of copies each of copies single

issue preceding issue nearest

12 months to filing date

Total copies printed 28,892 27.800

Paid circulation (sales through dealers, vendors, carriers) none none

Paid circulation (mail subscriptions) 24,963 24,354

Total paid circulation 24.963 24,354

Free distribution 219 571

Total distribution 25,182 24,925

Office use, leftover 3,710 2,875

Return from news agent none none

Total 28,892 27,800

I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete. Jimmie W. Croft,
vice president for Finance and Museum Services.

CONTENTS

December 1986
Volume 57, Number 11

THE TREASURES BALL, sponsored on November 7 by the Women's Board of
Field Museum, put the spotlight on a group of specimens selected from the
collections of the scientific departments and the library. Chosen for their
beauty, scientific or historic interest, the specimens were on view in the
South Lounge for just that special occasion. Several of those exceptional
pieces are now on extended "exhibit" by being featured on the pages of this
calendar issue. The cover photo, drawing other pieces from the collections,
expresses the treasures theme in a symbolic sense: a leather Chinese chest,
itself a treasure, overflows with an eye-dazzling variety of artifacts. The
interesting concept was the original work of Field Museum Photographer
Diane Alexander White and Photo Researcher Nina Cummings. Staff
members Dorothy Eatough, Christine Gross, Cap Sease, Ron Testa, and
Ben Williams and Volunteer Carolyn Moore were also helpful in the enter-
prise. Senior Scientific Illustrator Zbigniew Jastrzebski made the drawing
below. Cover photo by Diane Alexander White. GN84567c.

Photo key: A: quartz crystal from Switzerland, gift of H.N. Higin-
botham, H1316; B: Vancouver Island (Canada) mask, 19196; C: marble
head, Roman, gift of S.L. James, 26756; D: marble child's hand, Ionian,
27470; E: wood male figure, Yoruba, Nigeria, gift of Dr. and Mrs. Jeffrey
Hammer, 83058; F: painted clay vessel of head, face, and headdress, Chim-
bote, Peru, 100076; G: silver charm-box, Tibet, 123581; H: necklace of
amber, coral, and turquoise, Tibet, 123738; I: belt with silver buckles inlaid
with turquoise or coral, Tibet, 123765; J: silver earring with turquoise
mosaic, Tibet, 123772; K: silver charm-box with turquoise mosaic, Tibet,
123824; L: button ornament of gilded metal, frame of inlaid kingfisher
feathers around oval rose glass cabochon, Chekiang province, China,
232730; M: ivory vase with cover, China, gift of Louise L. Valentine,
233350; N: lime box of brass, silver, and copper, Tibet, gift of Mrs. A.W.F.
Fuller, 235047; O: faience object, Egypt, Ptolemaic, 238423; P: royal
ushebti (grave figurine), sandstone, Egypt, 238442; Q: hairpin of silver gilt,
kingfisher feathers, imitation pearls and probably quartz, China, 254268;
R: carved figure, Japan, 257520; S: silver and mosaic bracelet, Navajo,
Arizona, gift of May W. Bloom Collection, 284181; T: girdle ornament of
lapis lazuli, China, 126599; U: amber girdle pendant, China, 126601; V:
girdle pendant of pink tourmaline, China, 126621; W (on box lid): gold
ring, probably bracelet or armlet, Colombia, 1 53079; W (hanging from lid):
gold ring, probably bracelet or armlet, Colombia, 153081; X: leather box,
China, 253851; Y: silver necklace, Navajo, Arizona, gift of Mrs. R. F.
Howe, estate of Mrs. Jane Warder Hodgeson, 83979; Z: The Florist, Fruitist,
and Garden Miscellany, London, 1856, plates 119 and 120, from Mary W.
Runnells Rare Book Room.

Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin (USPS 898-940) is published monthly, except combined July/August issue, by Field Museum of Natural History. Roosevelt Road al Lake Shore Drive,
Chicago. IL 60605-2496. © 1986 Field Museum of Natural History Subscriptions: $6.00 annually. $3.00 for schools. Museum membership includes Bulletin subscription. Opinions expressed by
authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policy of Field Museum. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. Museum phone: (312) 922-9410. Notification of address change should
include address label and be sent to Membership Department. Postmaster: Please send form 3579 to Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive. Chicago, IL 60605-2496.
ISSN: 0015-0703.

Index to Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin, Volume 57 ( 1986)

Articles

Anthropology: The Human Experience, by

Donald McVicker and Nancy Evans:

March 21
Art Objects as Taonga: Spiritual Values and

Power in Maori Art, by Sidney Moko

Mead: Feb. 6
Audubon's "The Birds of America" and the

Remarkable History of Field Museum's

Copy, by Benjamin W. Williams: June 7
Centennial Directions: Field Museum Looks

to Its Second Century: Oct. 5
Collector's Tale, A, by Alan Solem:

June 22
Colombian Emeralds: The World's Finest,

by Peter C. Keller: Feb. 12
Discovering Chicago's Dialects, by Michael

Miller: Sept. 5
Field Museum Launches Its $40 Million

Capital Campaign: Nov. 22
Founders' Council Honors Roger Tory

Peterson: Nov. 25
Harry Hoogstraal, 1 9 1 7- 1 986, by Robert

Traub and Robert F. Inger: July/Aug. 9
Henry Field, 1902-1986, by W. Peyton

Fawcett: May 24
Lake Renwick: Unlikely Haven for the En-
dangered, by Jerry Sullivan: May 10
Legacy of Carl Akeley, The, by David M.

Walsten: Jan. 5
Mammals and Beetles in Costa Rica, by

James S. Ashe and Robert M. Timm:

Nov. 1 1
Millipede Hording, by Joseph Hannibal and

Cassandra Talerico: Sept. 24
Miner W. Bruce: Reindeer Herder, Show-
man, and Collector for the Field Colum-

bianMuseum, by James W. VanStone:

July/Aug. 19
Museums as Agents for Public Education:

The Kellogg Program, by Helen H. Voris:

May 6
My Field Trip to Ulu Kinabatangan, North

Borneo with Robert lnger, by Chin Phui

Kong: Nov. 19

"Nemesis Affair, The, " reviewed by David

Hull: Nov. 6
New Income Tax Law and Charitable Giving,

The, by Clifford Buzard: Nov. 9
Painters at Field Museum, by David M.

Walsten: April 20
Pathways in the Maori World, by Anne

Salmond: March 7
Piebald Saki, The, by Philip Hershkovitz:

Feb. 24
Pigeons, by Jerry Sullivan: July/Aug. 5
Piping Plover, The, by William J. Beecher:

March 24
Recent Bequest, A, by Clifford Buzard:

Feb. 1 1

Robert E. Peary: Arctic Explorer and Collec-
tor/or the World's Columbian Exposition,
by James W. VanStone: May 18

Robert H. Denison, in Memoriam, by Rainer
Zangerl and William D. Turnbull:
April 19

Stephen C. Simms as a Collector of North
American Indian Material Culture, by
James W. VanStone: April 5

Spring Wild/lowers of the Chicago Area, by
Floyd A. Swink: April 1 1

Sylvan Retreat, A: Chicago's Wooded Island,
by Jerry Sullivan: Sept. 12

Volunteers Do Make a Difference, by Ellen
Zebrun: June 4

Authors

Ashe, James S.: Mammals and Beetles in

Costa Rica, Nov. 1 1
Beecher, William J.: The Piping Plover,

March 24
Buzard, Clifford: A Recent Bequest, Feb. 1 1
: The New Income Tax Law

andCharitable Giving, Nov. 9
Evans, Nancy: Anthropology: The Human

Experience, March 21
Fawcett, W. Peyton: Henr* Field, 1902-

1986, May 24
Hannibal, Joseph: Millipede Hording,

Sept. 24
Hershkovitz, Philip: The Piebald Saki,

Feb. 24
Hull, David: "The Nemesis Affair"

(review), Nov. 6
lnger, Robert F. : Harry Hoogstraal, 1917-

1986, July/Aug. 9
Keller, Peter C. : Colombian Emeralds: The

World's Finest, Feb. 12
Kong, Chin Phui: My Field Trip to Ulu

Kinabatangan, North Borneo, with

Robert Inger, Nov. 19
McVicker, David: Anthropology: The

Human Experience, March 21
Miller, Michael I.: Discovering Chicago' s

Dialects, Sept. 5
Salmond, Anne: Pathways in the Maori

World, March 7
Solem, Alan: A Collector's Tale,

June 22
Sullivan, Jerry: Lake Renwick: Unlikely

Haven for the Endangered, May 10

: Pigeons, July/Aug. 5

: A Sylvan Retreat: Chicago's

Wooded Island, Sept. 12
Swink, Floyd: Spring Wildflowers of the

Chicago Area, April 1 1
: Wildflowers of the Chicago

Area — Late Summer and Fall,

July/Aug. 11

Talerico, Cassandra: Millipede Hording,

Sept. 24
Timm, Robert M.: Mammals and Beetles in

Costa Rica, Nov. 1 1
Traub, Robert: Harry Hoogstraal, 191 7-

1986, July/Aug. 9

Turnbull, William D.: Robert H. Denison,
inMemoriam, April 19

VanStone, James W. : Stephen C. Simms as
a Collector of North American Indian
Material Culture, April 5

— : Robert E. Peary: Arctic-
Explorer and Collector for the World's
Columbian Exposition, May 18

— : Miner W. Bruce: Reindeer
Herder, Showman, and Collector for the
Field Columbian Museum, July/Aug. 19

Voris, Helen H. : Museums as Agents for
Public Education: The Kellogg Program,
May 6

Walsten, David M.: The Legacy of Carl
Akeley, Jan. 5

: Painters at Field Museum,
April 20

Williams, Benjamin W. : Audubon's "The
Birds of America" and the Remarkable
History of Field Museum's Copy, June 7

Zangerl, Rainer: Robert H. Denison, in
Memoriam, April 19

Zebrun, Ellen: Volunteers Do Make a
Difference, June 4

Field Briefs

Dillon, Michael O.: Feb. 5
Energy Reduction Award: Feb. 5
Herbarium Gift: Feb. 5
Jones, Richard M.: June 6
"Plant Lady": Feb. 5
Radtke, Norman P.: Feb. 5
Ruch, Helen: Feb. 5
Sagastegui, Abundio: Feb. 5
Smith, Muriel: June 6
Terrell, John: Feb. 5
Turnbull, Priscilla F.: June 6
Women's Board Officers: lune 6

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Field Museum of Natural History
Membership Department
Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605-2499

Available Now at the Field Museum Store

Doug Lay, Jan Street, Bill Street during their Iran expedition, 1961-62

IRANIAN ADVENTURE

The First Street Expedition

by William S. and Janice K. Street
with Richard Sawyer

$14.95

10% discount for Field Museum members

softcover

320 pages, with color plates

and black-and-white illustrations

PUBLISHED BY FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

••-«.. *.